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arbitrary nature of language
The meanings attached to words in any language are not based on a logical or rational system but rather are arbitrary.
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displacement
The ability to talk about things that are remote in time and space.
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closed system of communication
Communication in which the user acannot create new sounds or words by combining two or more existing sounds or words.
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open system of communication
Communication in which thee user can create new sounds or words by combining two or more existing sounds or words.
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phonology
The study of a language's sound system.
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descriptive linguistics
The branch of anthropological linguistics that studies how languages are structured.
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phonemes
The smallest units of sound in a language that distinguish meaning.
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morphemes
The smallest linguistic forms (usually words) that convey meaning.
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free morphene
A morpheme that can convey meaning while standing alone without being attached to other morphemes.
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bound morpheme
A morpheme that can convey meaning only when combined with another morpheme.
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grammar
The systematic rules by which sounds are combined in a language o enable users to send and receive meaningful utterances.
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morphology
The study of the rules governing how morphemes are formed into words.
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syntax
The linguistic rules, found in all languages, that determine how phrases and sentences are constructed.
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synchronic analysis
The analysis of cultural data at a single point in time, rather than through time.
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diachronic analysis
The analysis of sociocultural data through time, rather than at a single point in time.
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historical linguistics
The study of how languages change over time.
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language family
A grouping of related languages.
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cultural linguistics
The study of the relationship between language and culture.
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cultural emphasis of a language
The idea that the vocabulary in any language tends to emphasize words that are adaptively important in that culture.
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Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
The notion that a person's language shapes her or his perceptions and view of the world.
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doublespeak
The use of euphemisms to confuse or deceive.
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code switching
The practice of adapting one's language depending on the social situation.
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diglossia
The situation in which two forms of the same language are spoken by people in the same language community at different times and places.
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dialects
Regional or class variations of a language that are sufficiently similar to be mutually intelligible.
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nonverbal communication
The various means by which humans send and receive messages without using words (for example, gestures, facial expressions, and touching).
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