(MCQ) (MEG-204) (Block-II) Generative Grammar

Unit 5- What is Generative Grammar?

What is Generative Grammar?

A. A type of grammar that focuses on the meaning of words and sentences.

B. A type of grammar that analyzes language in terms of a set of rules that generate sentences.

C. A type of grammar that emphasizes the social and cultural contexts of language use.

D. A type of grammar that studies the sounds of language.

The answer is B. Generative Grammar is a type of grammar that analyzes language in terms of a set of rules that generate sentences. It aims to describe the underlying structure of language and how it is produced and understood by speakers.

What is a generative rule?

A. A rule that specifies the meaning of a sentence or phrase.

B. A rule that describes the social and cultural contexts in which language is used.

C. A rule that generates a sentence or phrase in a specific language.

D. A rule that analyzes the sounds of language.

The answer is C. A generative rule is a rule that generates a sentence or phrase in a specific language. These rules specify the underlying structure of language and help to explain how speakers produce and understand sentences.

What is a phrase structure tree?

A. A graphical representation of the structure of a sentence or phrase.

B. A type of grammar that focuses on the meaning of words and sentences.

C. A set of rules that generates sentences in a specific language.

D. A rule that describes the social and cultural contexts in which language is used.

The answer is A. A phrase structure tree is a graphical representation of the structure of a sentence or phrase in Generative Grammar. It shows the hierarchical relationship between the different components of a sentence, such as phrases and clauses, and the order in which they appear in the sentence.

What is a constituent?

A. A type of sentence in Generative Grammar that consists of a single independent clause.

B. A word or group of words that function as a single unit within a larger sentence.

C. A set of rules that generate sentences in a specific language.

D. A rule that specifies the meaning of a sentence or phrase.

The answer is B. A constituent is a word or group of words that function as a single unit within a larger sentence. In Generative Grammar, constituents are important because they help to determine the hierarchical structure of a sentence and the relationships between different parts of the sentence.

What is the difference between deep structure and surface structure in Generative Grammar?

A. Deep structure refers to the meaning of a sentence, while surface structure refers to its grammatical structure.

B. Deep structure refers to the grammatical structure of a sentence, while surface structure refers to its meaning.

C. Deep structure refers to the underlying structure of a sentence, while surface structure refers to its surface appearance.

D. Deep structure and surface structure are the same thing in Generative Grammar.

The answer is C. In Generative Grammar, deep structure refers to the underlying structure of a sentence, which includes the hierarchical relationships between the different constituents of the sentence. Surface structure, on the other hand, refers to the actual arrangement of the words and phrases in the sentence. While deep structure is often invisible in the final sentence, surface structure is what is actually spoken or written.

What is a transformation in Generative Grammar?

A. A rule that generates a sentence or phrase in a specific language.

B. A rule that describes the social and cultural contexts in which language is used.

C. A set of rules that converts one sentence into another while preserving its meaning.

D. A type of grammar that focuses on the meaning of words and sentences.

The answer is C. A transformation is a set of rules that converts one sentence into another while preserving its meaning in Generative Grammar. Transformations allow speakers to create new sentences from existing ones and help to explain how sentences can have different surface structures but the same underlying meaning.

What is the difference between a phrase structure grammar and a dependency grammar?

A. Phrase structure grammar focuses on the relationships between words and phrases, while dependency grammar focuses on the relationships between words and their dependents.

B. Phrase structure grammar is more concerned with syntax, while dependency grammar is more concerned with semantics.

C. Phrase structure grammar is a type of generative grammar, while dependency grammar is not.

D. Phrase structure grammar is based on traditional grammar, while dependency grammar is a more recent development.

The answer is A. In phrase structure grammar, sentences are analyzed as hierarchies of constituents, with each constituent consisting of a head and its dependents. The focus is on the relationships between words and phrases. In dependency grammar, on the other hand, the focus is on the relationships between words and their dependents, with each word in the sentence having one or more dependents. Both types of grammar are used to describe the structure of sentences in natural language, but they differ in their approach to analyzing that structure.

Unit 6- Word Formation

What is word formation?

A. The process of analyzing sentences into their component parts.

B. The process of constructing new words from existing ones.

C. The study of how words are used in context.

D. The process of translating words from one language to another.

The answer is B. Word formation is the process of creating new words from existing ones. This can be done through a variety of methods, such as affixation (adding prefixes or suffixes to an existing word), compounding (combining two or more words to create a new one), and conversion (changing the part of speech of a word without adding any affixes). Word formation is an important area of study in linguistics, as it allows us to understand how new words enter a language and how the meanings of existing words can change over time.

Which of the following is an example of word formation through affixation?

A. Doghouse

B. Birdhouse

C. Unhappy

D. Housekeeper

The answer is C. "Unhappy" is an example of word formation through affixation, as it is formed by adding the prefix "un-" to the word "happy." "Doghouse" and "birdhouse" are examples of word formation through compounding, as they are created by combining two words to form a new one. "Housekeeper" is an example of word formation through conversion, as it changes the part of speech of the word "house" without adding any affixes.

Which of the following is NOT a method of word formation?

A. Affixation

B. Compounding

C. Conversion

D. Translation

The answer is D. Translation is not a method of word formation, as it involves transferring the meaning of a word from one language to another, rather than creating a new word in the same language. Affixation, compounding, and conversion are all methods of word formation.

What is the difference between compounding and affixation?

A. Compounding involves adding a prefix or suffix to an existing word, while affixation involves combining two or more words to form a new one.

B. Compounding involves changing the part of speech of a word, while affixation involves creating a completely new word.

C. Compounding involves combining two or more words to form a new one, while affixation involves adding a prefix or suffix to an existing word.

D. Compounding and affixation are two words for the same process.

The answer is C. The main difference between compounding and affixation is the way in which they create new words. Compounding involves combining two or more words to form a new one, such as "blackboard" or "laptop." Affixation involves adding a prefix or suffix to an existing word to create a new one, such as "unhappy" or "friendship."

What is back-formation?

A. The process of adding a suffix to the end of a word to create a new one.

B. The process of removing a suffix from the end of a word to create a new one.

C. The process of creating a new word by changing the part of speech of an existing word without adding any affixes.

D. The process of creating a new word by combining two or more words to form a shorter one.

The answer is B. Back-formation is the process of creating a new word by removing a supposed affix from an existing word that was thought to be a compound or derived by affixation. For example, the verb "edit" was formed from the noun "editor," by removing the "-or" suffix that was thought to be a derivational suffix.

What is a neologism?

A. A word that has fallen out of use and is no longer part of the standard language.

B. A word that has a different meaning in different contexts.

C. A word that has been recently created and is not yet widely used.

D. A word that is used to replace a taboo word or expression.

The answer is C. A neologism is a newly coined word or phrase that has not yet entered into common usage. Neologisms can be created through a variety of means, including compounding, affixation, and borrowing from other languages.

What is the process of creating a new word by combining two existing words called?

A. Derivation

B. Compounding

C. Inflection

D. Conversion

The answer is B. Compounding

What is the term for creating new words by adding affixes to existing words?

A. Derivation

B. Compounding

C. Inflection

D. Conversion

The answer is A. Derivation

What is the term for creating a new word by changing its part of speech without adding any affixes?

A. Derivation

B. Compounding

C. Inflection

D. Conversion

The answer is D. Conversion

Unit 7- Phrase Structure Grammar

In phrase structure grammar, what is a constituent?

A. A sentence that is part of a larger sentence

B. A word that is part of a larger word

C. A phrase that is part of a larger phrase or sentence

D. A morpheme that is part of a larger word

The answer is C. A phrase that is part of a larger phrase or sentence

In phrase structure grammar, what is a parse tree?

A. A tree that shows the structure of a sentence in terms of its constituents

B. A tree that shows the distribution of a word in a sentence

C. A tree that shows the history of a word's usage over time

D. A tree that shows the geographic distribution of a language

The answer is A. A tree that shows the structure of a sentence in terms of its constituents

What is a phrase marker in phrase structure grammar?

A. A representation of the surface structure of a sentence

B. A representation of the underlying structure of a sentence

C. A representation of the relationship between words in a sentence

D. A representation of the meaning of a sentence

The answer is B. A representation of the underlying structure of a sentence

What is a terminal symbol in phrase structure grammar?

A. A symbol that represents a constituent of a sentence

B. A symbol that represents a non-constituent part of a sentence

C. A symbol that represents a morpheme of a word

D. A symbol that represents a word or punctuation mark in a sentence

The answer is D. A symbol that represents a word or punctuation mark in a sentence

What is the focus of phrase structure grammar?

A. The relationship between clauses and sentences

B. The internal structure of phrases and how they combine into larger structures

C. The formation of words from smaller units

D. The use of intonation and stress in language

The answer is B. The internal structure of phrases and how they combine into larger structures.

What is a constituent in phrase structure grammar?

A. A type of verb

B. A type of noun

C. A group of words that functions as a single unit within a sentence

D. A type of adjective

The answer is C. A group of words that functions as a single unit within a sentence.

What is a tree diagram used for in phrase structure grammar?

A. To represent the internal structure of phrases and how they combine into larger structures

B. To represent the relationship between clauses and sentences

C. To represent the formation of words from smaller units

D. To represent the use of intonation and stress in language

The answer is A. To represent the internal structure of phrases and how they combine into larger structures.

What is a recursive rule in phrase structure grammar?

A. A rule that applies only once in a sentence

B. A rule that applies repeatedly to generate longer and longer structures

C. A rule that applies to words in the sentence that have multiple meanings

D. A rule that applies to words that are spelled differently in different contexts

The answer is B. A rule that applies repeatedly to generate longer and longer structures.

What is a phrase marker in phrase structure grammar?

A. A diagram that shows the internal structure of a sentence

B. A diagram that shows the formation of words from smaller units

C. A diagram that shows the hierarchical structure of phrases in a sentence

D. A diagram that shows the relationship between subject and object in a sentence

The answer is C. A diagram that shows the hierarchical structure of phrases in a sentence.

What is the difference between a phrase and a clause in phrase structure grammar?

A. A phrase has a subject and a verb, while a clause does not

B. A clause has a subject and a predicate, while a phrase does not

C. A phrase is a group of words that functions as a unit within a sentence, while a clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate and functions as a sentence or part of a sentence

D. A phrase and a clause are the same thing in phrase structure grammar

The answer is C. A phrase is a group of words that functions as a unit within a sentence, while a clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate and functions as a sentence or part of a sentence.

What is a constituent in phrase structure grammar?

A. A word that cannot be broken down into smaller units

B. A group of words that functions as a single unit within a larger sentence

C. A clause that functions as a sentence or part of a sentence

D. A verb that functions as the main predicate of a sentence

The answer is B. A group of words that functions as a single unit within a larger sentence.

What is a recursive rule in phrase structure grammar?

A. A rule that allows for the repetition of a phrase or clause within a larger structure

B. A rule that determines the word order in a sentence

C. A rule that specifies the inflectional morphology of a word

D. A rule that determines the meaning of a sentence

The answer is A. A rule that allows for the repetition of a phrase or clause within a larger structure.

Unit 8- Review Questions

What is the main focus of generative grammar?

A. Describing language as it is actually used

B. Describing how language should be used

C. Generating new sentences based on a set of rules

D. Identifying the regional variations in language use

The answer is C. Generating new sentences based on a set of rules

What is the difference between a free morpheme and a bound morpheme?

A. Free morphemes can stand alone as words, while bound morphemes cannot

B. Free morphemes are always adjectives, while bound morphemes are always nouns

C. Free morphemes are always suffixes, while bound morphemes are always prefixes

D. Free morphemes can only be used in questions, while bound morphemes can only be used in statements

The answer is A. Free morphemes can stand alone as words, while bound morphemes cannot

What is a phrase structure rule in phrase structure grammar?

A. A rule that generates new sentences based on a set of syntactic categories

B. A rule that describes the relationship between words and their meanings

C. A rule that describes the internal structure of a sentence

D. A rule that describes the sound patterns of a language

The answer is C. A rule that describes the internal structure of a sentence

What is a constituent in phrase structure grammar?

A. A word that can be used in different grammatical contexts

B. A group of words that function as a unit within a larger sentence

C. A grammatical category that includes nouns, verbs, and adjectives

D. A type of sentence that expresses a command or request

The answer is B. A group of words that function as a unit within a larger sentence