Study questions chapters 1 and 2

Christ Ramirez
Study Questions for Chapter One
1. Why is it difficult to agree with Psammetichus that Phrygian must have been the original human language?
The children were only exposed to goats and the word for bread was close to the sound the goats make.
2. What is the basic idea behind the “bow-wow” theory of language origin?
The bow-wow theory states that people tried to imitate the sounds and used it to refer to the object they associated it with.
3. Why are interjections such as “ouch” considered to be unlikely sources of human speech sounds?
These sounds are produced with sudden intakes of breath, and are considered expressive noises people make in a reaction.
4. Where are the pharynx and how did it become an important part of human sound production?
The pharynx is a cavity under the larynx (the vocal cords)that acts like a resonator for increased range and clarity of the sounds produced via the larynx and the vocal tract.
5. Why do you think that young deaf children who become fluent in sign language would be cited in support of the innateness hypothesis?
Regardless of how the language is “spoken” this hypothesis shows that language is genetic.
6. With which of the six “ sources” would you associate with quotation?
The quote would be associated with the tool-making source.


Chapter 2

1. Why is reflectivity considered to be a special property of human language?
Humans are the only ones that use language to think and talk about language itself, making reflexivity a distinguishing human feature.
2. What kind of evidence is used to support the idea that language is culturally transmitted?
We acquire language in culture and not parental genes. The books example was a baby born in Korea and having the features of a Korean but raised in America will ultimately speak English.
3. What is the difference between a communications system with productivity and one with fixed reference?
The difference between is a communications system with productivity and one with fixed reference is that productivity allows infinite sounds, where as fixed reference is a signal in the system of language that is fixed, and aren’t manipulated.
4. How did the Gardner’s try to show that Washoe was not simply repeating signs made by interacting humans?
The Gardner’s showed that Washoe was not repeating signs by showing that the monkey was able to take these forms and combine them to produce “sentences”, that lent itself to the idea the communication system had potential for productivity.
5. If Sarah could use a gray plastic shape to convey the meaning of the word red, which property does her “language “ seem to have?
The property seems to be arbitrariness.
6. What was considered to be the key element in Kanzi’s language learning?
He was not being directly taught, but exposed to, and observing the language from a very young age.
　

Chapter 3
1. What is the difference between acoustic phonetics and articulatory phonetics?
Acoustic phonetics deals with the physical properties of speech as sound waves in the air, and auditory phonetics deals with perception via the ear of speech sounds.
2. Which of the following words normally end with voiceless(-V) sounds and which end with voiced sounds (+V) sounds?
a) bang (+V)
b) crash (-V)
c) ding (+V)
d) fizz (+V)
e) rap (-V)
f) smack (-V)
g) splat (-V)
h) thud (+V)
I) wham (+V)
3. Try to pronounce the initial sounds of the following words and identify the place of articulation of each one ( bilabial, alveolar, etc.)
a) calf (Velar)
b) chin (palatal)
c) foot (labiodental)
d) groin (velar)
e) hand (glottals)
f) knee (alveolar)
g) mouth (bilabial)
h) pelvis (bilabial)
I) shoulder (palatal)
j) stomach (alveolar)
k) thigh (dental)
l) toe (alveolar)
4. Identify the manner of articulation of the initial sounds in the following words (stop, fricative, etc)
a) cherry (affricatives)
b) crazy (stops)
c) dizzy (stops)
d) funny (fricatives)
e) holly (fricatives)
f) loony (liquids)
g)merry (nasals)
h)silly (fricatives)
I)wimpy (glides)
5. Which written English words are usually pronounced as they are transcribed here?
a) bake
b) bought
c) enjoy
d) face
e)howl
f)hoping
g) who
h) cloak
I)mine
j) ??
k)chip
l)oh
6. Using symbols introduced in this chapter, write a basic phonetic transcription of the most common pronunciation of the following words.
a) catch kæt͡ʃ
b) doubt daʊt
c) gem d͡ʒm
d) measure mɛ~ʒr
e) noise nɔɪz
f) phone foʊn
g) shy ʃɑɪ
h) these θiz
I) thought θat
) tough tʌf
k) would wʊd
l) wring riɳ