1 《英语语言学概论》课程复习题集 (1-6章)
2013-6-1
Chapter I Introduction2012
I. Decide whether each of the following statements is TRUE or FALSE:
T1. Linguistics is the scientific study of language.
F2. Competence and performance is distinguished by Saussure.
F3. A synchronic linguistics is the study of a language through the course of its
history.
T4. Linguistics is generally defined as the scientific study of language.
F5. Linguistics studies particular language, not languages in general.
F6. A scientific study of language is based on what the linguist thinks.
T7. In the study of linguistics, hypotheses formed should be based on language facts
and checked against the observed facts.
T8. General linguistics is generally the study of language as a whole.
T9. General linguistics, which relates itself to the research of other areas, studies the
basic concepts, theories, descriptions, models and methods applicable in any
linguistic study.
T10. Phonetics is different from phonology in that the latter studies the combinations
of the sounds to convey meaning in communication.
F11. Morphology studies how words can be formed to produce meaningful sentences.
T12. The study of the ways in which morphemes can be combined to form words is
called morphology.
F13. Syntax is different from morphology in that the former not only studies the
morphemes, but also the combination of morphemes into words and words into
sentences.
T14. The study of meaning in language is known as semantics.
T15. Both semantics and pragmatics study meanings.
T16. Pragmatics is different from semantics in that pragmatics studies meaning not in
isolation, but in context.
T17. Social changes can often bring about language changes.
T18. Sociolinguistics is the study of language in relation to society.
T19. The arbitrary nature of language makes it possible for language to have an 2 unlimited source of expressions.
F20. Synchronic linguistic is the study of a language through the course of its history.
F21. Modern linguistics is mostly prescriptive, but sometimes descriptive.
T22. Modern linguistics is different from traditional grammar.
F23. A diachronic study of language is the description of language at some point in
time.
T24. Modern linguistics regards the written language as primary, not the written
language.
F25. The distinction between competence and performance was proposed by F. de
Saussure.
F26. Features that contrast words in meaning are called design features are said to be
in complementary distribution.
F27. Linguistic symbols are arbitrary.
F28. By arbitrariness Saussure means that the forms of linguistic signs bear some
natural relationship to their meaning.
II. Fill in each of the following blanks with one word which begins with the letter
given:
descriptive 1. If a linguistic study describes and analyzes the language people actually
use, it is said to be d_______.
knowledge2. Chomsky defines “ competence” as the ideal user’s k__________ of
the rules of his language.
abstract3. Langue refers to the a__________ linguistic system shared by all the
members of a speech community while the parole is the concrete use of the
conventions and application of the rules.
Duality 43. D_________ is one of the design features of human language which refers
to the phenomenon that language consists of two levels: a lower level of meaningless
individual sounds and a higher level of meaningful units.
arbitrary5. Language is a system of a_________ vocal symbols used for human
communication.
Sociolinguistics 6. S is the study of language in relation to society.
syntax7. The discipline that studies the rules governing the formation of words into
permissible sentences in languages is called s________. 3 genetic 8. Human capacity for language has a g ____ basis, but the details of language
have to be taught and learned.
Parole 9. P ____ refers to the realization of langue in actual use.
applied10. Findings in linguistic studies can often be applied to the settlement of some
practical problems. The study of such applications is generally known as a________
linguistics.
productive11. Language is p___________ in that it makes possible the construction
and interpretation of new signals by its users. In other words, they can produce and
understand an infinitely large number of sentences which they have never heard be12
scientifc12. Linguistics is generally defined as the s ____ study of language.
social13. To help define and maintain interpersonal relations is the s
function of language.
III. There are four choices following each statement. Mark the choice that can
best complete the statement.
A1. The description of a language in a fixed instant is a _______ study.
A. synchronic B. diachronic C. prescriptive D. systematic
D2. The application of linguistics principles and theories to language teaching and
learning is called _____.
A. sociolinguistics B. Psycholinguistics
C. computational linguistics D. Applied Linguistics
C3. If a linguistic study describes and analyzes the language people actually use, it is
said to be ______________.
A. prescriptive B. analytic
C. descriptive D. linguistic
D4. Which of the following is not a design feature of human language?
A. Arbitrariness B. Displacement
C. Duality D. Meaningfulness
A5. Modern linguistics regards the written language as ____________.
A. primary B. correct
C. secondary D. stable
D6. In modern linguistics, speech is regarded as more basic than writing, because
___________.
A. in linguistic evolution, speech is prior to writing
