McqMate
These multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are designed to enhance your knowledge and understanding in the following areas: Bachelor of Arts in English (BA English) .
| 1. |
Which among the following statements is not true? |
| A. | language is a means of communication |
| B. | language is symbolic |
| C. | language is structural |
| D. | language is the only means of communication |
| Answer» D. language is the only means of communication | |
| 2. |
Who defined language as “a set or (finite or infinite) sentences, each finite in length and constructed out of a finite set of elements” |
| A. | noam chomsky |
| B. | ferdinand de saussure |
| C. | edward sapir |
| D. | none of the above |
| Answer» A. noam chomsky | |
| 3. |
Which among the following is not a characteristic feature of language? |
| A. | language is systematic |
| B. | language is arbitrary |
| C. | language is dynamic |
| D. | language is instinctive. |
| Answer» D. language is instinctive. | |
| 4. |
The theory which is based on the assumption that language originated as a result of human instinct to imitate sounds: |
| A. | ding dong theory |
| B. | the bow-vow theory |
| C. | the pooh-pooh theory |
| D. | the gesture theory |
| Answer» B. the bow-vow theory | |
| 5. |
The theory which is based on the assumption that language originated in the sense of rhythm innate in man: |
| A. | ding dong theory |
| B. | the bow-vow theory |
| C. | the pooh-pooh theory |
| D. | the gesture theory |
| Answer» A. ding dong theory | |
| 6. |
The Ding-Dong theory of the origin of language was advanced by: |
| A. | wilhelm wundt and sir richard paget |
| B. | noire |
| C. | max-muller |
| D. | otto jepersen |
| Answer» C. max-muller | |
| 7. |
The Yo-He-Ho Theory of the origin of language was advanced by: |
| A. | wilhelm wundt and sir richard paget |
| B. | noire |
| C. | max-muller |
| D. | otto jepersen |
| Answer» B. noire | |
| 8. |
The Musical Theory of the origin of language was advanced by: |
| A. | wilhelm wundt and sir richard paget |
| B. | noire |
| C. | max-muller |
| D. | otto jespersen |
| Answer» D. otto jespersen | |
| 9. |
Words like ‘Buzz’, ‘Hiss’, ‘thud’ etc. which represents the sounds of their referents are known as -------- |
| A. | onomatopoeia |
| B. | homophones |
| C. | homonyms |
| D. | portmanteau |
| Answer» A. onomatopoeia | |
| 10. |
Find the odd one out |
| A. | ferdinand de saussure |
| B. | edward sapir |
| C. | leonard bloomfield |
| D. | herman gundert |
| Answer» D. herman gundert | |
| 11. |
Which among the following is an exception to the property of arbitrariness of language? |
| A. | onomatopoeia |
| B. | homophones |
| C. | homonyms |
| D. | portmanteau |
| Answer» A. onomatopoeia | |
| 12. |
Human language is structured at the levels of phonemes and morphemes and at the level of words. This property of language is called------- |
| A. | duality of structure |
| B. | recursiveness |
| C. | displacement |
| D. | transference. |
| Answer» A. duality of structure | |
| 13. |
Using a finite set of rules a speaker can produce innumerable grammatical utterances. This property of language is called------- |
| A. | duality of structure |
| B. | recursiveness |
| C. | displacement |
| D. | transference. |
| Answer» B. recursiveness | |
| 14. |
It is possible to write down spoken language and read aloud the written material. This property of language is called------- |
| A. | duality of structure |
| B. | recursiveness |
| C. | displacement |
| D. | transference. |
| Answer» D. transference. | |
| 15. |
Language is never static. It goes on changing. This property of language is called------- |
| A. | dynamic |
| B. | recursiveness |
| C. | displacement |
| D. | transference. |
| Answer» A. dynamic | |
| 16. |
There is no positive relationship between a speech and sound. This property of language is referred to as------ |
| A. | arbitrariness. |
| B. | recursiveness |
| C. | displacement |
| D. | transference. |
| Answer» A. arbitrariness. | |
| 17. |
The type of study of the changes in language over a span of time is called-------- |
| A. | synchronic |
| B. | diachronic |
| C. | semiotic |
| D. | onomatopoeic |
| Answer» B. diachronic | |
| 18. |
The systematic study of signs is called----- |
| A. | semiotics |
| B. | semiology |
| C. | both “a” & “b” |
| D. | neither “a” not “b” |
| Answer» C. both “a” & “b” | |
| 19. |
The term semiotics was introduced by |
| A. | charles sanders pierce |
| B. | ferdinand de sauddure |
| C. | noam chomsky |
| D. | edward sapir |
| Answer» A. charles sanders pierce | |
| 20. |
The term semiology was introduced by |
| A. | charles sanders pierce |
| B. | ferdinand de saussure |
| C. | noam chomsky |
| D. | edward sapir |
| Answer» B. ferdinand de saussure | |
| 21. |
Who introduced in linguistics the concept of Langue and Parole? |
| A. | charles sanders pierce |
| B. | ferdinand de saussure |
| C. | noam chomsky |
| D. | edward sapir |
| Answer» B. ferdinand de saussure | |
| 22. |
Who introduced in linguistics the concept of Competence and Performance? |
| A. | charles sanders pierce |
| B. | ferdinand de saussure |
| C. | noam chomsky |
| D. | edward sapir |
| Answer» C. noam chomsky | |
| 23. |
Who introduced in linguistics the concept similar to Saussure’s Langue and Parole? |
| A. | charles sanders pierce |
| B. | leonard bloom filed. |
| C. | noam chomsky |
| D. | edward sapir |
| Answer» C. noam chomsky | |
| 24. |
Who introduced in linguistics the concept similar to Chomsky’s competence and Performance? |
| A. | charles sanders pierce |
| B. | leonard bloom filed. |
| C. | ferdinand de saussure. |
| D. | edward sapir |
| Answer» C. ferdinand de saussure. | |
| 25. |
Which among the following implies the underlying rules governing the combination and organization of the elements of language? |
| A. | language |
| B. | parole |
| C. | competence |
| D. | both langue and competence |
| Answer» D. both langue and competence | |
| 26. |
Which among the following implies the actual meaningful utterance of the individual speaking or writing a given language? |
| A. | language |
| B. | parole |
| C. | performance |
| D. | both parole and performance |
| Answer» D. both parole and performance | |
| 27. |
-------refers to the linguistic norm specific to a geographical area, social class or status affecting mutual intelligibility |
| A. | dialect |
| B. | idiolect |
| C. | register |
| D. | slang |
| Answer» A. dialect | |
| 28. |
--------is the totality of the speech habits of an individual |
| A. | dialect |
| B. | idiolect |
| C. | register |
| D. | slang |
| Answer» B. idiolect | |
| 29. |
A collection of similar Idiolect make up ------- |
| A. | dialect |
| B. | idiolects |
| C. | register |
| D. | slang |
| Answer» A. dialect | |
| 30. |
A person who has the ability to use only one language is called----- |
| A. | monologue |
| B. | monolingual |
| C. | monologal |
| D. | none of the above |
| Answer» B. monolingual | |
| 31. |
A person who can use two languages is called----- |
| A. | biolingual |
| B. | bilingual |
| C. | duo-lingual |
| D. | duo-langual |
| Answer» B. bilingual | |
| 32. |
A person who can use more than two languages: |
| A. | multilingual |
| B. | poly-lingual |
| C. | bilingual |
| D. | poly-langual |
| Answer» A. multilingual | |
| 33. |
-------refers to an individual’s equal and native command of two or more languages |
| A. | bilingualism |
| B. | poly-glotism |
| C. | multilingualism |
| D. | none of the above |
| Answer» C. multilingualism | |
| 34. |
-------------is the study of how the mentally represented grammar of language is employed in the production and comprehension of speech |
| A. | socio-linguistics |
| B. | psycho-linguistics |
| C. | neuron-linguistics |
| D. | physio –linguistics |
| Answer» B. psycho-linguistics | |
| 35. |
-------is the discipline where the methodological perspectives of both linguistics and sociology converges |
| A. | linguistics of sociology |
| B. | socio-linguistics |
| C. | sociology of linguistics |
| D. | none of these |
| Answer» B. socio-linguistics | |
| 36. |
Which among the following does not constitute the scientific nature of linguistics |
| A. | systematic gathering and analysis of data |
| B. | determination of causal relationship between facts |
| C. | chronological presentation of data |
| D. | verification, validation and generalization. |
| Answer» C. chronological presentation of data | |
| 37. |
Which among the following does not constitute the general methodology of science |
| A. | controlled observation |
| B. | hypothesis formulation |
| C. | analysis, generalization and prediction |
| D. | speculation |
| Answer» D. speculation | |
| 38. |
Which among the following is not an aim of linguistics |
| A. | to study the nature of language |
| B. | to establish a theory of language |
| C. | to propound stories of the origin of language |
| D. | to describe a language and all languages |
| Answer» C. to propound stories of the origin of language | |
| 39. |
Which among the following is not a branch of linguistics |
| A. | phonology |
| B. | morphology |
| C. | semantics |
| D. | philology |
| Answer» D. philology | |
| 40. |
The older term used to designate the study of languages is------ |
| A. | philology |
| B. | haplology |
| C. | phonology |
| D. | semiology |
| Answer» A. philology | |
| 41. |
The study of elementary speech sounds is called---- |
| A. | phonology |
| B. | morphology |
| C. | syntax |
| D. | semantics |
| Answer» A. phonology | |
| 42. |
The study ordering of speech sounds into the smallest meaningful groups is called---- |
| A. | phonology |
| B. | morphology |
| C. | syntax |
| D. | semantics |
| Answer» B. morphology | |
| 43. |
The study of the way that sequences of words are ordered into phrases, clauses, and sentences is called------ |
| A. | phonology |
| B. | morphology |
| C. | syntax |
| D. | semantics |
| Answer» C. syntax | |
| 44. |
The study of meaning is called---- |
| A. | phonology |
| B. | morphology |
| C. | syntax |
| D. | semantics |
| Answer» D. semantics | |
| 45. |
-------is the basis of all sounds in English language and in most languages in India. |
| A. | the pulmonic air stream mechanism |
| B. | the glotalic air stream mechanism |
| C. | the velaric air stream mechanism |
| D. | none of the above. |
| Answer» A. the pulmonic air stream mechanism | |
| 46. |
------is a monosyllabic vowel combination of a diphthong and a the weak vowel |
| A. | triaphthong |
| B. | triaphone |
| C. | triphthong |
| D. | triology |
| Answer» C. triphthong | |
| 47. |
----------are gliding sounds during the articulation of which, the speech organs glide from one vowel position to another |
| A. | diphthongs |
| B. | triphthongs |
| C. | semi-vowels |
| D. | minimal pairs |
| Answer» C. semi-vowels | |
| 48. |
--------are the different concrete phonetic variation of the same phoneme |
| A. | allophones |
| B. | triphthongs |
| C. | semi-vowels |
| D. | minimal pairs |
| Answer» A. allophones | |
| 49. |
---- is a unit of speech which is at a level higher than the speech sound or phoneme |
| A. | syllable |
| B. | stress |
| C. | intonation |
| D. | pitch. |
| Answer» A. syllable | |
| 50. |
----is the process by which one speech sound gets changed to another under the influence of another |
| A. | onomatopoeia |
| B. | assimilation |
| C. | regression |
| D. | progression |
| Answer» B. assimilation | |
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