Language & Linguistics

rhetorical C2

/ɹɪˈtɔɹɪkəl/ Asked only to make a point, without expecting any answer. M S

euphemism C2

/ˈjuː.fəˌmɪz.əm/ A mild or indirect word used in place of one that is harsh, blunt, or offensive. M S

jargon C2

/ˈd͡ʒɑɹ.ɡən/ Special words and phrases used by a particular profession or group that others find hard to understand. M S

creole C2

/ˈkriː.oʊl/ a natural language that developed in a contact community from elements of two or more languages and became a community's first language M S

diminutive C2

/dəˈmən.jə.təv/ very small M S

alliteration C2

/əˌlɪtəˈreɪʃən/ the repetition of the same initial consonant sound in nearby words, especially in a phrase or line of verse M S

articulation C2

/ɑɹˌtɪk.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/ The act of expressing thoughts or feelings clearly in words. M S

colloquial C2

/kəˈloʊ.kwi.əl/ Used in ordinary, informal conversation rather than formal speech or writing. M S

phonetic C2

/fəˈnɛt.ɪk/ of or relating to the scientific study of speech sounds M S

semantic C2

/sɪˈmæntɪk/ of or relating to meaning or the study of meaning M S

etymology C2

/ˌɛtəˈmɑləd͡ʒi/ the study of the origins and historical development of words M S

transcriber C2

/trænˈskraɪ.bɚ/ a person who converts speech, handwriting, or recorded material into written or typed text M S

philology C2

/fɪˈlɑːlədʒi/ the scholarly study of historical texts through their language, transmission, literary context, and interpretation M S

polyglot C2

/ˈpɑlɪˌɡlɑt/ a person who can speak or use several languages M S

rhetorically C2

/rəˈtɔrɪkli/ In a way that asks a question without expecting an answer. M S

philologist C2

/fɪˈlɑːlədʒɪst/ a scholar who studies the historical development, structure, and relationships of languages, especially through written texts M S

declension C2

/dɪˈklɛn.ʃən/ a class of nouns or pronouns or adjectives in Indo-European languages having the same (or very similar) inflectional forms M S

idiomatic C2

/ˌɪd.iː.əˈmæt.ɪk/ Using language in a natural way that sounds like a native speaker. M S

assonance C2

/ˈæsənəns/ the repetition of similar vowel sounds in nearby words, especially in poetry M S

sibilant C2

/ˈsɪbɪlənt/ having or producing a hissing or hushing sound M S

grammarian C2

/ɡɹəˈmɛɹiən/ a scholar or specialist who studies and describes grammar M S

polysyllabic C2

/ˌpɔ.lɪ.sɪˈlæ.bɪk/ Having more than one syllable, or many syllables. M S

consonance C2

/ˈkɑnsənəns/ agreement or compatibility between opinions, principles, qualities, or actions M S

etymological C2

/ˌɛtɪməˈlɑdʒɪkəl/ relating to etymology or the historical origin and development of words M S

syntactic C2

/sɪnˈtæktɪk/ related to syntax or the rules governing how words and symbols are arranged M S

shibboleth C2

/ˈʃɪb.əl.eθ/ a slogan, belief, or custom strongly associated with a group, especially one repeated after it has lost much of its original force or truth M S

orthography C2

/ɔɹˈθɑɡɹəfi/ the conventional spelling and writing system of a language M S

neologism C2

/niˈɑləˌd͡ʒɪzəm/ A word or phrase which has recently been coined; a new word or phrase. M S

inflect C2

/ɪnˈflɛkt/ grammar: to change a word's form to express features such as tense, number, case, or gender M S

cognate C2

/ˈkɑɡn(e)ɪt/ related in origin, nature, or character M S

syllabic C2

/sɪˈlæb.ɪk/ Relating to syllables. M S

mispronunciation C2

/mɪspɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/ an incorrect pronunciation or the act of pronouncing something incorrectly M S

reduplication C2

/rɪˌduːplɪˈkeɪʃən/ a word-formation process in which all or part of a word, root, or syllable is repeated M S

periphrasis C2

/pəˈrɪfrəsɪs/ an indirect or roundabout way of expressing something M S

archaism C2

/ˈɑɹ.kiˌɪz.əm/ an old-fashioned word, expression, spelling, grammatical form, custom, or stylistic feature no longer in ordinary use M S

agglutinate C2

/əˈɡluːtəˌneɪt/ to cause particles, cells, or other separate things to stick together in a clump or mass, or to undergo such clumping M S

occasionalism C2

/əˈkeɪʒənəˌlɪzəm/ philosophy: the doctrine that created things do not directly cause events but merely provide occasions on which God produces the corresponding effects M S

homophony C2

/həˈmɑfəni/ the relation or quality of words having the same pronunciation but different meanings or origins M S

polysemy C2

/ˈpɒ.lɪ.siː.mi/ The property of a word or other sign having several related meanings. M S

copula C2

/ˈkɑpjələ/ A linking verb, especially a form of be, that connects a subject with a complement. M S