Question

The open-endedness of language is a feature that refers to:

• A. A situation in which new words are unable to produce
• B. A situation in which new words are possible by alterations
• C. A situation in which a person faces problem in expressing intended ideas
• D. A process in which words are borrowed

Answer 1

Answer:

B. A situation in which new words are possible by alterations

Open-endedness (also called productivity) is a key feature of human language. It refers to the ability to create and understand an infinite number of new words, phrases, and sentences, often by altering or combining existing elements.

• We can coin new words (e.g., "blog" from "web log")

• We can modify existing words using prefixes/suffixes (e.g., "happiness", "unfriend")

• This flexibility shows how language is not fixed and can adapt to new ideas, technologies, and experiences