Chapter 1 Introductions to Linguistics I. Choose the best answer. (20%) 1. Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human _ A. contact B. communication C. relation D. community 2. Which of the following words is entirely arbitrary? A. tree B. typewriter C. crash D. bang 3. The function of the sentence “Water boils at 100 degrees Centigrade.” is _. A. interrogative（疑问） B. directive C. informative D. performative 4. In Chinese when someone breaks a bowl or a plate the host or the people present are likely to say“碎碎（岁岁）平安”as a means of controlling the forces which they believes feel might affect their lives. Which functions does it perform? A. Interpersonal B. Emotive C. Performative D. Recreational 5. Which of the following property of language enables language users to overcome the barriers caused by time and place, due to this feature of language, speakers of a language are free to talk about anything in any situation? A. Transferability B. Duality C. Displacement D. Arbitrariness 6. Study the following dialogue. What function does it play according to the functions of language? A nice day, isnt it? Right! I really enjoy the sunlight. A. Emotive B. Phatic C. Performative D. Interpersonal 7. _ refers to the actual realization of the ideal language users knowledge of the rules of his language in utterances. A. Performance B. Competence C. Langue D. Parole 8. When a dog is barking, you assume it is barking for something or at someone that exists hear and now. It couldnt be sorrowful for some lost love or lost bone. This indicates the design feature of _. A. cultural transmission B. productivity C. displacement D. duality 9. _ answers such questions as how we as infants acquire our first language. A. Psycholinguistics B.Anthropological linguistics C. Sociolinguistics D. Applied linguistics 10. _ deals with language application to other fields, particularly education. A. Linguistic theory B. Practical linguistics C. Applied linguistics D. Comparative linguistics II. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. (10%) 11. Language is a means of verbal communication. Therefore, the communication way used by the deaf-mute is not language.F 12. Language change is universal, ongoing and arbitrary.TF? 13. Speaking is the quickest and most efficient way of the human communication systems.FT? 14. Language is written because writing is the primary medium for all languages.F 15. We were all born with the ability to acquire language, which means the details of any language system can be genetically transmitted.F 16. Only human beings are able to communicate.F 17. F. de Saussure, who made the distinction between langue and parole in the early 20th century, was a French linguist.F Swiss 18. A study of the features of the English used in Shakespeares time is an example of the diachronic study of language.F 19. Speech and writing came into being at much the same time in human history.F 20. All the languages in the world today have both spoken and written forms.F III. Fill in the blanks. (10%) 21. Language, broadly speaking, is a means of _verbal_ communication. 22. In any language words can be used in new ways to mean new things and can be combined into innumerable sentences based on limited rules. This feature is usually termed _creativity_. 23. Language has many functions. We can use language to talk about itself. This function is _metalingual function_. 24. Theory that primitive man made involuntary vocal noises while performing heavy work has been called the _yo-he-ho_ theory. 25. Linguistics is the _scientific_ study of language. 26. Modern linguistics is _descriptive_ in the sense that the linguist tries to discover what language is rather than lay down some rules for people to observe. 27. One general principle of linguistic analysis is the primacy of _speech_ over writing. 28. The description of a language as it changes through time is a _diachronic_linguistic_ study. 29. Saussure put forward two important concepts. _langue_ refers to the abstract linguistic system shared by all members of a speech community. 30. Linguistic potential is similar to Saussures langue and Chomskys _competence_. IV. Explain the following terms, using examples. (20%) 31. Design feature Design feature: It refers to the defining properties of human language that tell the difference between human language and any system of animal communication. 32. Displacement Displacement: It means that human languages enable their users to symbolize objects, events and concepts, which are not present (in time and space) at the moment of communication. 33. Competence Competence: It is an essential pa