Cambridge International A Level · English Language (9093)

Concepts and terminology related to language change: Practice Questions

5 multiple-choice questions marked as you go, and 5 written questions with worked solutions. All on Concepts and terminology related to language change.

10 questions24 marksFree, no account

Question 1

1 mark

When a prefix like un- is added to the word happy to create unhappy, changing the meaning of the base word, the process is known as:

Question 2

1 mark

In the study of historical linguistics, the term pejoration refers to a specific type of semantic change. Which of the following best describes this process?

Question 3

1 mark

The word terribly was originally used to mean "in a manner that causes terror." In modern usage, it is frequently used as an intensifier meaning "very" (e.g., "terribly sorry"). This semantic shift is best categorized as:

Question 4

1 mark

When a word such as 'mouse' expands from its original meaning of a small rodent to also include a computer input device, which type of semantic change has occurred?

Question 5

1 mark

The word 'vlog' (video + log) is created by combining parts of two existing words. This linguistic process is known as:

Question 6

2 marks

In the study of historical linguistics, what is meant by the term narrowing (also known as specialization)?

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Question 7

3 marks

How does the process of amelioration affect the status of a word within a language?

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Question 8

5 marks

Explain how the process of pejoration affects the meaning and social perception of a word, illustrating with an example of a word that has undergone this semantic shift.

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Question 9

4 marks

Linguistic morphological processes describe how new words are formed to meet the needs of a changing society.
(a) Define the term compounding and provide one clear example of its use in Contemporary English.
(b) Define the term backformation and explain how it differs from the process of derivation.
(c) Provide one specific example of a backformation and identify the original word from which it was derived.

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Question 10

5 marks

(a) Define the term neologism and explain its relationship to the concept of lexical gaps within a language's vocabulary.
(b) Discuss how modern social movements or environmental concerns have influenced the English lexicon. Provide two examples of contemporary neologisms (e.g., greenwashing) that have emerged to fill specific lexical gaps created by these cultural shifts.
(c) Identify the morphological process used to create one of the examples you provided in part (b).

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