Structural Linguistics: consolidation quiz

What aspect of language does the following refer to: If we see the word “talks” alone, outside of any context, we could consider it to be composed of the root “talk” and a plural -s to make a noun (more than one talk/discussion/address), or we could consider it to be made up of the root “talk” and a third person -s to make a conjugated verb (like “he talks,” “she talks,” or “it talks”).

• phonology

• morphology

• syntax

• lexicon

What aspect of language does the following refer to: The English word “talk” has near synonyms like “speak,” “say,” “express,” “shout,” “yell,” and “whisper.”

• lexicon

• morphology

• syntax

• phonology

What aspect of language does the following refer to: The English word “talk” can be pronounced differently depending on the geographical locations of the speakers.

• morphology

• syntax

• phonology

• lexicon

 

What aspect of language does the following refer to: In English, appropriate word order is Subject–Verb–Object, like saying “The man was talking to the child.” In Japanese, word order is subject–object–verb, so one would say “The man the child to was talking.”

• lexicon

• morphology

• phonology

• syntax

Select all of which are true. In structural linguistics, language is considered:

• as a self-contained

• interconnected with other languages

• as self-regulating semiotic system whose elements are defined by their relationship to other elements within the system

• to be a structured system of formal units (like sentences and syntax).

Who is generally considered to have launched linguistics as a field of study?