Questions & Answers
Browse all 20 questions from the
Linguistics Basics study set below.
Each question shows the correct answer — select a study format above to practice interactively.
1
What is the scientific study of language called?
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A
Psychology
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B
Sociology
-
C
Linguistics
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D
Anthropology
2
Which of these is NOT considered a part of linguistics?
-
A
The sounds of language
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B
The structure of words and sentences
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C
The meaning of words and sentences
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D
The history of art
3
What is the smallest unit of sound that can distinguish one word from another?
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A
Syllable
-
B
Morpheme
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C
Phoneme
-
D
Word
4
The study of word formation and structure is called:
-
A
Syntax
-
B
Semantics
-
C
Phonetics
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D
Morphology
5
What do we call the rules that govern how words are combined to form sentences?
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A
Morphology
-
B
Pragmatics
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C
Syntax
-
D
Phonology
6
The study of meaning in language is called:
-
A
Syntax
-
B
Semantics
-
C
Phonetics
-
D
Morphology
7
What is the term for the smallest meaningful unit of language?
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A
Phoneme
-
B
Grapheme
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C
Morpheme
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D
Syllable
8
The way language is used in different social contexts is studied in:
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A
Semantics
-
B
Syntax
-
C
Pragmatics
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D
Phonology
9
Which branch of linguistics deals with the sounds of speech and how they are produced and perceived?
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A
Phonetics
-
B
Morphology
-
C
Syntax
-
D
Semantics
10
The study of language change over time is known as:
-
A
Historical Linguistics
-
B
Sociolinguistics
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C
Psycholinguistics
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D
Computational Linguistics
11
What is the study of the relationship between language and society called?
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A
Psycholinguistics
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B
Sociolinguistics
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C
Historical Linguistics
-
D
Applied Linguistics
12
Which field of linguistics investigates the mental processes involved in language acquisition and use?
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A
Sociolinguistics
-
B
Computational Linguistics
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C
Psycholinguistics
-
D
Historical Linguistics
13
A system of communication using sounds, symbols, or gestures is called:
-
A
Code
-
B
Dialect
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C
Language
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D
Jargon
14
What is the term for a regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary?
-
A
Accent
-
B
Language
-
C
Dialect
-
D
Slang
15
The sounds of a language system are studied in:
-
A
Phonetics
-
B
Morphology
-
C
Phonology
-
D
Syntax
16
The branch of linguistics that uses computers to analyze and process human language is:
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A
Applied Linguistics
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B
Sociolinguistics
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C
Computational Linguistics
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D
Historical Linguistics
17
What does the term 'lexicon' refer to in linguistics?
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A
Sentence structure
-
B
The history of words
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C
The vocabulary of a language
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D
The sounds of speech
18
The study of how signs and symbols are used and interpreted is part of:
-
A
Syntax
-
B
Phonetics
-
C
Semiotics
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D
Morphology
19
What is the term for a word or phrase that is no longer in common use?
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A
Neologism
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B
Archaism
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C
Slang
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D
Jargon
20
The basic units of meaning in a word, like 'un-' in 'unhappy', are called:
-
A
Phonemes
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B
Morphemes
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C
Syllables
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D
Graphemes
