Test on Roman Jakobson: Language Structure and Functions

Question 1: Gleb Ivanovič Uspenskij's speech disorder involved his first name and patronymic, Gleb Ivanovič, splitting into two distinct names designating separate beings.

A. Ano

B. Ne

Explanation: Gleb Ivanovič Uspenskij suffered from a speech disorder where his first name and patronymic, Gleb Ivanovič, separated into two distinct entities: Gleb representing his virtues and Ivanovič his vices.

Question 2: According to the study materials, which two functions in speech exchange are primarily affected by speech disturbances in aphasia, helping to classify its diverse forms?

A. Emissive and receptive communication

B. Encoding and decoding of verbal messages

C. Phonemic pattern and grammatical system

D. Similarity and contiguity relations

Explanation: The study materials state that speech disturbances affect the individual’s capacity for combination and selection, and that the question of which of these two operations is chiefly impaired helps classify aphasia. It further clarifies that this indicates 'which of the two functions in speech exchange, the encoding or the decoding of verbal messages, is particularly affected.'

Question 3: The study materials suggest that emotive differences in language are primarily non-linguistic features, attributable solely to the delivery of the message rather than to the message itself.

A. Ano

B. Ne

Explanation: The study materials state that Saporta’s surmise that emotive difference is a non-linguistic feature, 'attributable to the delivery of the message and not to the message,' arbitrarily reduces the informational capacity of messages. This indicates disagreement with the idea that emotive differences are solely non-linguistic delivery aspects, instead affirming their linguistic and informational capacity within the message.

Question 4: According to the provided text, which statements accurately describe the linguistic operations of selection and combination?

A. Combination involves entities conjoined in a virtual mnemonic series, whereas selection involves entities jointly present in an actual series.

B. In the combination of distinctive features into phonemes, the individual speaker has zero freedom, as possibilities are established by the code.

C. Selection and substitution are distinct operations, while combination and contexture are two aspects of the same operation.

D. The constituents of a context are linked by contiguity, while signs in a substitution set are linked by degrees of similarity.

Explanation: The text states, 'In the combination of distinctive features into phonemes, the freedom of the individual speaker is zero: the code has already established all the possibilities which may be utilized in the given language,' making option 1 correct. It also explains, 'The constituents of a context are in a state of contiguity, while in a substitution set signs are linked by various degrees of similarity,' which supports option 3. Option 0 is incorrect because the text attributes 'in presentia' and 'actual series' to combination, and 'in absentia' and 'virtual mnemonic series' to selection. Option 2 is incorrect as the text clearly states, 'selection and substitution are two faces of the same operation' and 'combination and contexture are two faces of the same operation.'

Question 5: The poetic function of language is exclusively found within the realm of poetry, acting as its sole function.

A. Ano

B. Ne

Explanation: The study materials state that the poetic function is not the sole function of verbal art but only its dominant, determining function. It also acts as a subsidiary, accessory constituent in all other verbal activities. Therefore, it is not exclusively found within poetry nor is it the sole function of verbal art.