WL Quiz 3

Syntax

study of the principles by which phrases combine to make sentences

Semantics

Study of meaning in language

Pragmatics

Study of how context contributes to word meaning

Give two examples of SVO language

Spanish

Italian

Languages are categorized by the order of their verbs, subjects, and objects

T or F

T

Native speaker intuitions are always reliable

T or F

F

Knowing a syntactic rule means that you are able to explain it

T or F

F

In phrase structures, sentences are seen as hierarchical

T or F

T

Transitive are Intransitive

My screen protector broke

Intransitive

Transitive are Intransitive

He broke down the research article

Transitive

Transitive or Intransitive
He printed the invitation

Transitive

Transitive are Intransitive

We laughed loudly

Intransitive

Transitive are Intransitive

I called off the wedding

Transitive

Give an example of a transitive sentence

He looked for birds.

Give an example of an intransitive sentence

My binoculars broke.

Give two examples of Slang in English that are no longer in use

Slay

On fleek

What does each letter of “SVO” stand for?

Subject, verb, object

What are euphemisms used for? Give two examples

To be less direct

died/passed away

let go/fired

Structural Ambiguity

A sentence has more than one possible interpretation

Lexical structural

a word has more than one possible meaning

What kind of ambiguity is represented below?

The boy saw the man with the telescope

Structural

What kind of ambiguity is represented below?

He waited by the bank

Lexical

Grabable pairs

Can be a spectrum of one or the other

can be modified with “very” or “a little”

Complementary pairs

Can only be one or the other

Grabable or complementary pairs?

dead/alive

C

Grabable or complementary pairs?

Hot/cold

G

Grabable or complementary pairs?

hungry/full

G

Particle vs preposition

Preposition has direction and is followed by an object

Particle is a part of a phrasal verb and has no object

Example of Preposition

He ran out the door

Example of Particle

She turned down the street

Grice’s Maxims

• Quantity: give as much information as necessary but not overshare

• Relevance: be relevant to topic

• Manner: be orderly and clear; avoid obscurity

• Quality: be truthful and provide evidence for statements

Performative verb

• needs to be present tense, conditions being met, action

• you can say you can name something or nominate someone but only if you have the power to do so

What is the T-V distinction?

linguistic system where language uses two different pronouns to express varying levels of formality, familiarity, respect or social distance when addressing others.

T in the T-V distinction

are informal and/or familiar pronouns used with close family or friends

V in the T-V distinction

formal and/or respectful pronouns used with strangers, superiors or polite conversations