UGC-NET (NTA) LINGUISTICS, JANUARY-2025

Total Questions: 100

61. Match the List-I with List-II.

List-I	List-II
A. A term in linguistics that refers to a form that is a substitute for an antecedent	I. Particle
B. A term in grammar that refers to a form that is a substitute for a word that occurs later in the sentence	II. Participle
C. A form in grammar that has features of both the verb and an adjective	III. Anaphora
D. A form in grammar that follows a verb though it looks like an adjective or a spatial verb	IV. Cataphora

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

1. A-IV, B-III, C-II, D-I
2. А-III, B-II, C-I, D-IV
3. A-II, B-I, C-IV, D-III
4. A-III, B-IV, C-II, D-I

Correct Answer: 4. A-III, B-IV, C-II, D-I

Solution:

A. (A term in linguistics that refers to a form that is a substitute for an antecedent) - III: Anaphora→ Anaphora is when a word or phrase refers back to an earlier word in discourse. Example: John left early because he was tired. (he refers to John).
B. (A term in grammar that refers to a form that is a substitute for a word that occurs later in the sentence) - IV: Cataphora → Cataphora is when a word refers to something that appears later in the discourse. Example: Before he spoke, John took a deep breath. (he refers to John).
C. (A form in grammar that has features of both the verb and an adjective) II: Participle → A participle is a verb form that functions as an adjective. Example: The running water is cold.
D. (A form in grammar that follows a verb though it looks like an adjective or a spatial verb) - I: Particle A particle is a function word that does not change form and is used with verbs (e.g., put up, give in).

62. Which of the following is an example of speech accommodation?

A. A person simplifies his vocabulary and grammar in talking to a foreigner or a child
B. A complicated technical message is 'translated' for the benefit of someone who does not know the jargon
C. Adopting the style of a third party for special effects
D. In an interview with the hospital matron, a nurse adopts some of the matron's pronunciation features
E. A buyer adopts the language of the person selling goods in the market place
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

1. A, В, C, D Only
2. B, C, D, E Only
3. A, B, D, E Only
4. A, С, D, E Only

Correct Answer: 3. A, B, D, E Only

Solution:

A. (A person simplifies vocabulary and grammar when talking to a foreigner or child) Yes, this is speech accommodation known as convergence (adjusting speech for better communication).
B. (A technical message is simplified for someone unfamiliar with jargon)→ Yes, this is a form of accommodation where speech is adjusted for better comprehension.
D. (A nurse adopting the matron's pronunciation in an interview) → Yes, this is speech accommodation to match social status or authority.
E. (A buyer adopting the seller's language in a marketplace) → Yes, this is an example of convergence in social interaction.
C. (Adopting the style of a third party for special effects) is not necessarily speech accommodation, as it may not be done for communication clarity or social adaptation.

63. Match the List-I with List-II.

List-I	List-II
A. Samuel Johnson	I. First editor of Oxford English Dictionary
B. James Murray	II. Third New International Dictionary
C. Merriam Webster	III. Dictionary of English Language
D. Noah Webster	IV. American Dictionary of the English Language

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

1. A-III, B-I, C-II, D-IV
2. A-IV, B-II, C-I, D-III
3. A-II, B-IV, C-III, D-I
4. A-I, B-III, C-IV, D-II

Correct Answer: 1. A-III, B-I, C-II, D-IV

Solution:

A. (Samuel Johnson) - III: Dictionary of English Language → Samuel Johnson's A Dictionary of the English Language (1755) was one of the earliest comprehensive English dictionaries.
B. (James Murray) - I: First editor of Oxford English Dictionary → James Murray was the chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), leading its early editions.
C. (Merriam-Webster) - II: Third New International Dictionary → The Merriam-Webster dictionary became one of the leading dictionaries in the United States.
D. (Noah Webster) IV: American Dictionary of the English Language → Noah Webster's dictionary (1828) helped standardize American English spelling and vocabulary.

64. An underspecified segment that represents the suspension of relevant contrast in neutralization is known as:

1. Archiphoneme
2. Grapheme
3. Glosseme
4. Prosodeme

Correct Answer: 1. Archiphoneme

Solution:

An archiphoneme is an underspecified phoneme that represents a neutralization of phonemic contrast in a given linguistic environment.
Example: In Spanish, the neutralization of /b/ and /v/ means that both sounds are pronounced the same in many dialects.
Archiphonemes occur in phonological processes like final devoicing in languages such as German and Russian.

65. Match the List-I with List-II.

List-I	List-II
A. Naama	I. Indecinable
B. Aakhyaata	II. Affix
C. Upasarga	III. Verb/Verbal
D. Nipaata	IV. Noun/Nominal

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

1. A-IV, B-III, C-II, D-I
2. A-IV, B-II, C-III, D-I
3. A-II, B-III, C-IV, D-I
4. A-I, B-II, C-III, D-IV

Correct Answer: 1. A-IV, B-III, C-II, D-I

Solution:

A. (Naama) - IV: Noun/Nominal In Sanskrit grammar, Naama refers to nouns (words that denote objects, people, or concepts).
B. (Aakhyaata) - III: Verb/Verbal→ Aakhyaata refers to verbs, which express actions or states.
C. (Upasarga) - II: Affix → Upasarga refers to prefixes or affixes that modify verb meanings. Example: prati- in pratipaksha (opposite).
D. (Nipaata) - I: Indeclinable → Nipaata refers to indeclinable words such as particles, adverbs, and conjunctions, which do not change form.

66. Match the List-I with List-II.

List-I	List-II
A. Kharia	I. Vigesimal system
B. Kannada	II. No decimal system
C. Konyak	III. Decimal system
D. Nihali	IV. Duodecimal/Vigesimal system

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

1. A-IV, B-III, C-I, D-II
2. A-III, B-IV, C-II, D-I
3. A-I, B-II, C-IV, D-III
4. A-II, B-I, C-III, D-IV

Correct Answer: 2. A-III, B-IV, C-II, D-I

Solution:

A. (Kharia) - III: Decimal system → The Kharia language, spoken by the Munda people in India, follows the decimal system for counting, meaning numbers are based on powers of ten.
B. (Kannada) - IV: Duodecimal/Vigesimal system → Kannada historically used a mix of duodecimal (base-12) and vigesimal (base-20) systems, especially in traditional contexts.
C. (Konyak) II: No decimal system → Konyak, a language of the Naga people, does not traditionally use a full decimal system in its native numbering structure.
D. (Nihali) I: Vigesimal system → Nihali, a language isolate spoken in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, follows the vigesimal system (base-20).

67. Arrange the following in the order of highto-low sonority.

A. m, n B. 1, r
C. b, d, g D. a, e, о
E. y, w
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

1. D, A, E, B, C
2. D, E, A, B, C
3. D. А, B, E, C
4. D. E, В, A, C

Correct Answer: 4. D. E, В, A, C

Solution:

Sonority hierarchy ranks speech sounds from most sonorous (vowels) to least sonorous (stops and obstruents).
Order from high to low sonority:
• D (a, e, o)- Vowels → Most sonorous, as vowels have an open vocal tract.
• E (y, w) - Glides → Less sonorous than vowels but still highly resonant.
• B (1, r) - Liquids More sonorous than nasals, less than glides.
• A (m, n) - Nasals → Sonorous but involve some airflow obstruction.
• C (b, d, g) - Stops → Least sonorous, as airflow is fully obstructed.

68. Which of the following hold(s) true for presupposition?

A. Presuppositions prevent violations of the maxim of relevance
B. In presupposition truth conditions of first sentence guarantee the truth of the second
C. Presuppositions hold up under negation
D. Presuppositions and entailment are same
E. It is analyzed as a certain type of logical relationship between statements
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

1. A, B, C
2. A, C, E
3. B, C, D
4. С, D, E

Correct Answer: 2. A, C, E

Solution:

A. (Presuppositions prevent violations of the maxim of relevance) → Correct, since presuppositions help keep communication contextually relevant.
C. (Presuppositions hold up under negation) → Correct, because negation does not cancel a presupposition.
Example: John stopped smoking→ John had been smoking (remains true even in negation).
E. (It is analyzed as a certain type of logical relationship between statements) → Correct, presuppositions are a semantic and pragmatic relationship between sentences.
(B) is incorrect because truth conditions of one sentence do not necessarily "guarantee" another in presuppositions (that applies to entailment).
(D) is incorrect because presupposition and entailment are not the same; presupposition is about background assumptions, while entailment is a logical consequence.

69. Match the List-I with List-II.

List-I	List-II
A. Loan words	I. Where the meaning is borrowed and the form is native
B. Loan blends	II. Where both form and meaning are borrowed
C. Loan shifts	III. Where meaning is borrowed but only part of form is borrowed
D. Calques	IV. Where the parts in the borrowed forms are translated

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

1. A-II, B-III, C-IV, D-I
2. A-I, B-III, C-IV, D-II
3. A-IV, B-II, C-I, D-III
4. A-III, B-I, C-II, D-IV

Correct Answer: 1. A-II, B-III, C-IV, D-I

Solution:

A. (Loan words) - II: Where both form and meaning are borrowed → Loan words retain both form and meaning from the source language (e.g., pizza from Italian).
B. (Loan blends) - III: Where meaning is borrowed but only part of the form is borrowed → Loan blends mix native and borrowed elements (e.g., "television" from Greek tele- and Latin vision).
C. (Loan shifts) - IV: Where the meaning is borrowed and the form is native → Loan shifts involve semantic extension of an existing native word (e.g., mousse in French meaning "foam" adapted to mean "dessert mousse" in English).
D. (Calques) - I: Where the parts in the borrowed forms are translated → Calques translate word-for-word from another language (e.g., skyscraper from French "gratte-ciel").

70. An obstruent is defined as:

1. a sound produced with a constriction in the oral chamber which may impede the flow of air through the oral or nasal chamber as in fricatives, affricates, etc.
2. a sound produced with the movement of the tongue to allow resonance in the oral chamber
3. a sound produced with a free flow of air though oral and nasal chambers such as nasal stops and nasal vowels
4. a sound produced with high frequency vocal cord vibration

Correct Answer: 1. a sound produced with a constriction in the oral chamber which may impede the flow of air through the oral or nasal chamber as in fricatives, affricates, etc.

Solution:

A sound produced with a constriction in the oral chamber which may impede the flow of air through the oral or nasal chamber as in fricatives, affricates, etc.: Obstruents are consonants that restrict airflow, creating turbulence.
They include:
Stops (plosives) → Complete closure (p, t, k).
Fricatives Partial obstruction with friction (f, s, v).
Affricates → Combination of stop + fricative (ch in church).
Sonorants (such as vowels, nasals, and liquids) have free airflow and higher resonance, unlike obstruents.