Linguistics Exam Practice

1. Why is language an integral part of being human?
Language is an integral part of being human. It is because the function of language in the human’s life is very important. Language and abstract thought that a human being possesses are the characteristics that can distinguish human being from animal. Human being can use language for expressing abstract thought while animal cannot do that. Another function is that the inability to use language inadequately can affect someone’s status in society, and may even alter their personality. Therefore, it can be said that language is an integral part of being human.

2. Write Edward Sapire’s definition of language.
Language is a purely human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions, and desires by means of a system of voluntarily produced symbols.

3. How is language different from a language?
Language is a universal characteristic of the human race. Meanwhile, a language is a medium of communication specific to a society; it forms part of the culture of that society.
OR
Language is human facility for communication inherited genetically. A language is an individual example of language, such as Indonesian, English, etc. A medium of communication specific to society. A language is acquired from the society in which we spend our first years.

4. What is knowledge of language?
Knowing which sounds occur and how they are patterned.

5. What does one’s knowledge of a language means?
Knowledge of language that someone has can help her/him to express his/her thoughts and feelings clearly through that specific language. The knowledge of language such as the knowledge of sounds, words, rules of combining words into a sentence and context can help someone to speak fluently. Likewise, in the written form, the knowledge of language can help someone write correctly to express ideas.

6. What language characteristics are not observed in onomatopoeia?
Language characteristics are not observed in onomatopoeia because there is no arbitrariness in onomatopoeia. Onomatopoeic words are words whose sounds are similar to the natural sounds of the object or activity. In onomatopoeia, there is an intrinsic link between the object and the words / symbols.

7. How is language competence different from language performance?
Language competence: Having the knowledge necessary for producing language
Language performance: Having the ability of using the knowledge of language in actual speech production and comprehension

8. What are three faces of language? Explain each one of them. 
(1) Expression; It refers to words, phrases, sentences, and pronunciation, including intonation and stress.
(2) Meaning; It refers to the senses and referents of these elements of expression.
(3) Context; It refers to the intended message of an expression uttered in a particular context.

8. What are three faces of language? Explain each one of them. 
(1) Expression; It refers to words, phrases, sentences, and pronunciation, including intonation and stress.
(2) Meaning; It refers to the senses and referents of these elements of expression.
(3) Context; It refers to the intended message of an expression uttered in a particular context.

9. When is language used as phatic communion?
It is when language is used to oil the wheel of conversation, for example when people say “how are you?” This utterance is used just to be sociable. In Poole’s words, phatic communion is the use of speech with the aim of establishing or maintaining social relations.

10. In terms of its acquisition, how is language different from animal “language”?
The difference between human language and animal language is that human language is culturally transmitted. We acquire our native tongue by cultural transmission and it is by means of our native tongue that we receive cultural transmission that we learn and adapt. Meanwhile, animals do not have that ability. Animals’ language is transmitted biologically so they are unable to acquire other languages.