The sounds of a language convey meaning; words serve as symbols for actions, objects, and relational concepts. What is the property of language that carries meaning?
A)displacement
B)infinite creativity
C)syntax
D)semanticity

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Semanticity is the property of language that carries meaning. It refers to the fact that words and other linguistic symbols stand for something in the world, whether it be an action, object, or concept. This property allows us to use language to communicate and convey meaning to others. Displacement (A) refers to the ability to talk about things that are not present in the immediate environment, infinite creativity (B) refers to the ability to create an endless number of novel utterances, and syntax (C) refers to the rules for creating grammatically correct sentences. While all of these properties are important to language, none of them specifically carry meaning in the same way that semanticity does.

The Sounds of a Language Convey Meaning; Words Serve as Symbols