Practice question · Match the pairs
Match each unit of language to what it is.
- Phoneme
- Morpheme
- Syntax
- Lexicon
- Smallest meaningful unit
- Meaningless sound unit that distinguishes words
- Rules assembling words into sentences
- The vocabulary stock of a language
Hints
- The units nest: sounds build into meaningful pieces, which build into structures.
- One unit carries no meaning on its own.
Show the answer
- Phoneme → Meaningless sound unit that distinguishes words
- Morpheme → Smallest meaningful unit
- Syntax → Rules assembling words into sentences
- Lexicon → The vocabulary stock of a language
Why
Duality of patterning, meaningless sounds building meaningful structure, is the design trick every human language shares and no animal call system has.
Practise Language and Culture
The app has 7 more questions on this lesson, and keeps your place in the course. History I is free to start.
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