General Linguistics Quiz

What is the scientific study of language called?

• Linguistics

• Syntax

• Morphology

• Phonetics

Which level of linguistic structure focuses on the smallest unit of structure in language?

• Semantics

• Phonetics

• Morphology

• Syntax

What is the innate ability to learn language called?

• Performance

• Grammar

• Syntax

• Competence

Which part of speech represents the action, event, or state that the sentence is about?

• Verb

• Adjective

• Noun

• Adverb

What is the branch of linguistics that deals with speech sounds?

• Phonetics

• Pragmatics

• Syntax

• Semantics

Which class of words represents circumstantial information such as time and manner?

• Adjectives

• Verbs

• Adverbs

• Nouns

What is the unit of sound that distinguishes one word from another in a particular language?

• Semantics

• Phoneme

• Morpheme

• Syntax

Which level of structure in language focuses on the structure of words?

• Semantics

• Phonology

• Syntax

• Morphology

Which class of words are often best defined by their function?

• Nouns

• Verbs

• Adjectives

• Function Words

What is the study of the sound system of a particular language called?

• Phonetics

• Syntax

• Morphology

• Phonology