C2 Level Wordlist - Linguistics

Here you will learn all the essential words for talking about Linguistics, collected specifically for level C2 learners.

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prolixity [noun]

the fact of having an excessive number of words that results in being tedious

Ex: The lawyer 's closing argument suffered from prolixity , causing the jury to lose focus as he elaborated on every minor point in exhaustive detail .

rhetoric [noun]

the study of techniques and principles for using language effectively, especially in public speaking

Ex: The course on rhetoric included exercises in speechwriting and delivery .

intertextuality [noun]

the interconnectedness and referencing of texts, where one text refers to or influences another, creating layers of meaning and a complex web of relationships between texts

Ex: Through intertextuality , the poet creates a tapestry of allusions and quotes from other works , inviting readers to explore the broader literary context of the poem .

imbrication [noun]

the overlapping and blending of language elements, such as sounds or grammatical structures, within speech or writing

Ex: The poet 's imbrication of archaic and modern vocabulary gives his work a timeless quality .

apposition [noun]

(grammar) the use of two adjacent noun phrases having the same referent that have the same syntactical role in a sentence

Ex: Understanding apposition is essential for parsing complex sentences , as it helps in identifying the relationships between different parts of the sentence .

portmanteau word [noun]

a new word that is formed by the combination of two other words blending their meaning and sounds

Ex: In linguistics , a portmanteau word merges the sounds and meanings of two different words to create a new , unique term .

syntax [noun]

(linguistics) the way in which words and phrases are arranged to form grammatical sentences in a language

Ex: Linguists study syntax to uncover the underlying principles that dictate how different languages form sentences .

morpheme [noun]

(linguistics) the smallest meaningful unit of a language that does not necessarily stand alone and cannot be divided

Ex: Understanding morphemes helps linguists analyze how words are formed and how they convey meaning .

semantics [noun]

(linguistics) a branch of linguistics that deals with meaning, reference, or truth

Ex:

lexicon [noun]

the complete set of meaningful units in a language or a branch of knowledge, or words or phrases that a speaker uses

Ex: A specialized lexicon is essential in technical fields like medicine or law , where precise terminology is crucial .

anaphora [noun]

(grammar) a word or phrase that refers to a preceding word or phrase

Ex: In political speeches , anaphora can be a powerful tool for driving home key points and rallying support .

polysemy [noun]

the phenomenon in language where a single word has multiple related meanings or senses

Ex: The richness of language arises in part from polysemy , allowing for layers of meaning and nuances in communication .

allophone [noun]

a variant pronunciation of a phoneme, which can occur due to phonetic differences in specific contexts or environments within a language

Ex: Linguists analyze the distribution of allophones within a language to understand its phonological rules and patterns .

lexeme [noun]

(linguistics) a basic linguistic unit that is meaningful and underlies a set of words which are related through inflection

Ex: Linguists study lexemes to understand how words are related morphologically and semantically within a language .

phoneme [noun]

the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish meaning, often represented by a specific symbol in phonetic notation

Ex: Phonemes are abstract units that are realized as various allophones in different phonetic contexts .

hypernym [noun]

a word that is more general and encompasses a broader category of related terms

Ex:

neologism [noun]

the process of inventing a word

Ex: The internet age has seen a surge in neologisms as technology and social media introduce new ways of communication .

suppletion [noun]

the phenomenon in which an irregular form of a word, often a verb or adjective, is used instead of a regular form to express a different grammatical feature

Ex: Suppletion can create irregularities in languages , making it necessary for speakers to memorize irregular forms separately from regular patterns .

(linguistics) a variety of language that is used in a particular social context, based on the communicative purpose and social status of the user

Ex: Speakers adjust their register depending on factors such as audience , setting , and topic to convey their intended message effectively .

metathesis [noun]

a phonological process in which sounds or syllables in a word are rearranged or switched positions, resulting in a change in the order of phonemes or syllables within the word

Ex: Linguists study metathesis to understand its phonological processes and its occurrence across different languages .

epenthesis [noun]

a phonological process in which a sound or phoneme is inserted into a word, typically to break up a consonant cluster or improve phonotactic constraints

Ex: Linguists analyze epenthesis to understand how phonological rules operate within a language and across different dialects .

reduplication [noun]

the process of duplicating all or part of a word or morpheme to create a new form, often with a change in meaning or grammatical function

Ex: Linguists study reduplication to understand how languages use repetition to create new words , intensify meaning , or indicate grammatical aspects such as plurality or verb tense .

clipping [noun]

the process of shortening a word by dropping one or more syllables

Ex:

hypocorism [noun]

a word-formation process in which a word or name is modified to create a shorter, affectionate, or informal version, often used to express familiarity, endearment, or intimacy

Ex: Linguists study hypocorism to understand how languages and cultures create and use affectionate or informal forms of names .

tautology [noun]

the redundant repetition of an idea using different words in a sentence or phrase

Ex: In linguistics , a tautology is the redundant repetition of an idea , where the same concept is expressed multiple times in different words .

vowel harmony [noun]

a phonological process in which vowels within a word or across adjacent words become more similar or assimilate to each other in terms of certain phonetic features

Ex: Vowel harmony can significantly impact the morphology of a language , influencing how words and affixes are formed and pronounced .

hyponym [noun]

a word that represents a subset of a broader category

Ex: Learning hyponyms can help you categorize information more effectively .

synchronic [adjective]

relating to phenomena, especially in language, as they exist at a specific time, without reference to historical development

Ex: The grammar was examined in synchronic way .

diachronic [adjective]

related to the study or analysis of phenomena or changes over time, particularly within linguistics or historical contexts

Ex: The diachronic perspective reveals language patterns across epochs .

C2 Level Wordlist
Size and Magnitude	Weight and Stability	Quantity	Intensity
Pace	Shapes	Importance and Essentiality	Commonness and Uniqueness
Difficulty and Challenge	Price and Luxuriousness	Quality	Success and Wealth
Failure and Poverty	Body Shape	Age and Appearance	Comprehension and Intelligence
Personal Traits	Emotional States	Trigerring Emotions	Feelings
Relationship Dynamics and Connections	Social and Moral Behaviors	Tastes and Smells	Sounds
Textures	Thoughts and Decisions	Complaint and Criticism	Harmony and Discord
Communication and Discussion	Body Language and Emotional Actions	Order and Permission	Advice and Influence
Honor and Admiration	Request and Answer	Attempt and Prevention	Changing and Forming
Movements	Preparing Food	Food and Drinks	Natural Environment
Animals	Weather and Temperature	Disaster and Pollution	Work Environment
Occupations	Accommodation	Transportation	Tourism and Migration
Hobbies and Routines	Sports	Arts	Cinema and Theater
Literature	Music	Clothes and Fashion	Architecture
History	Culture and Custom	Society	Religion
Philosophy	Linguistics	Politics	Law
Crime	Punishment	War and Army	Government
Education	Media	Technology and Internet	Marketing and Advertisement
Shopping	Business and Management	Finance	Scientific Fields and Studies
Medicine	Health Condition	Recovery and Treatment	Human Body
Psychology	Biology	Chemistry	Physics
Astronomy	Mathematics	Geology	Engineering
Measurement