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Eng 110: Introduction To The Study Of Language Question Paper

Eng 110: Introduction To The Study Of Language 

Course:Bachelor Of Education Arts

Institution: Masinde Muliro University Of Science And Technology question papers

Exam Year:2008



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MASINDE MULIRO UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY(MMUST)
UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS
2008/2009 ACADEMIC YEAR
FIRST YEAR FIRST SEMESTER EXAMINATIONS
FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF EDUCATION (ARTS)
COURSE CODE: ENG 110
COURSE TITLE: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF LANGUAGE

DATE: 8th December 2008 TIME: 11.30 a.m. – 2.30 p.m.

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Answer question ONE and any other THREE questions

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1. a) Discuss the properties that make human language species-specific. (10 marks)

b) Briefly explain any FOUR theories that try to explain how man acquired
language. (12 marks)

c) Explain what is meant by the concept, ‘language universal’. (3 marks)

2. Compare and contrast the two forms of media that are used to represent
language. (15 marks)

3. a) Construct each of the phrases given and represent the constituents for
each phrase that you have constructed:

i) 2 prepositional phrases
ii) 2 noun phrases
iii) 2 verb phrases (6 marks)

b) Explain the problems of meaning in the following phrases:
i) Egyptian cotton shirt
ii) Criminal lawyer (5 marks)

c) Comment on the grammatically of the following sentence and show its
relevance in the study of language structure. Colourless green ideas sleep
furiously. (5 marks)

4. Explain the distinction between the following concepts:

a) Pragmatics versus discourse analysis
b) Competence and performance
c) Langue, langage and parole
(15 marks)

5. Either:
a) Briefly outline the major highlights in the study of language.
b) Briefly explain what is entailed in the following core areas of linguistics:
a) Phonetics and Phonology
b) Morphology
c) Syntax
d) Semantics

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6. Outline the different writing systems that are used to represent the languages of
the world. (15 marks).

7. Explain how the different types of competence that a person has is
evidence of knowledge of the language. (15 marks)

8. Discuss non-verbal communication as a form of language. (15 marks)






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