Group 1: Signs, Speech, and Sound#

Theme: Humans found clever ways to share thoughts using marks and sounds.

language /ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/ noun

1. A language is a system of communication which consists of a set of sounds and written symbols which are used by the people of a particular country or region for talking or writing.
2. Language is the use of a system of communication such as speech, writing, or gestures.

gesture /ˈdʒestʃə/ noun

1. A gesture is a movement that you make with a part of your body, especially your hands, to express an idea or meaning.

oral /ˈɔːrəl/ adjective

1. You use oral to describe communication that is spoken rather than written.

knot /nɒt/ noun

1. A knot is a place where two ends of rope, string, or wire have been tied together, or where a piece of rope or string has been tied around something.
2. A knot is a hard, dark circular patch in a piece of wood, where a branch once grew out from the trunk.

sign /saɪn/ noun verb

1. A sign is an event, action, or fact that shows that something exists, is happening, or may happen in the future.
2. If you sign a document, you write your name on it, usually at the end, to confirm that you wrote it or agree with it.

pictograph /ˈpɪktəɡrɑːf/ noun

1. A pictograph is a picture or symbol that represents a word, phrase, or idea, especially in ancient writing systems.

wedge /wedʒ/ noun

1. A wedge is a piece of wood, metal, or other material, thick at one end and tapering to a thin edge at the other, used for splitting things or keeping something in place.

symbol /ˈsɪmbəl/ noun

1. A symbol is a mark, sign, or letter that represents an object, idea, function, or process.
2. A symbol of something is a person, object, or event that represents it or is typical of it.

logogram /ˈlɒɡəɡræm/ noun

1. A logogram is a written or printed sign or symbol that represents an entire word or phrase rather than a sound.

alphabet /ˈælfəbet/ noun

1. An alphabet is a set of letters usually arranged in a fixed order, used for writing a language.

handwriting /ˈhændˌraɪtɪŋ/ noun

1. Your handwriting is your style of writing with a pen or pencil on paper, or the letters written in this way.

linguistics /lɪŋˈɡwɪstɪks/ noun

1. Linguistics is the scientific study of language and the way languages work.

verbal /ˈvɜːbəl/ adjective

1. You use verbal to describe things that involve spoken words rather than written words.
2. You use verbal to indicate that something is connected with words and using words.

phonetics /fəˈnetɪks/ noun

1. Phonetics is the scientific study of the sounds of human speech.

utterance /ˈʌtərəns/ noun

1. An utterance is something that is said.

pronounce /prəˈnaʊns/ verb

1. To pronounce a word means to say it using particular sounds.
2. If someone pronounces a judgment or an official opinion, they state it formally or officially.

dialect /ˈdaɪəlekt/ noun

1. A dialect is a form of a language that is spoken in a particular area, with words and grammar that are slightly different from other forms.

accent /ˈæksent/ noun

1. Someone who speaks with a particular accent pronounces words in a way that shows what country, region, or social class they come from.
2. An accent is a mark written above or below a letter in some languages to show how it should be pronounced.

intonation /ˌɪntəˈneɪʃən/ noun

1. Your intonation is the way that your voice rises and falls as you speak.

inflection /ɪnˈflekʃən/ noun

1. An inflection is a change in the tone or pitch of your voice when you are speaking.

syllable /ˈsɪləbəl/ noun

1. A syllable is a unit of pronunciation that has one vowel sound, with or without surrounding consonants, forming the whole or a part of a word.

vowel /ˈvaʊəl/ noun

1. A vowel is a sound you make when you speak without closing your mouth or throat.
2. A vowel is a letter that represents a vowel sound, such as ‘a’, ’e’, ‘i’, ‘o’, or ‘u’.

consonant /ˈkɒnsənənt/ noun

1. A consonant is a sound such as ‘p’, ‘f’, or ’s’ that you make by completely or partly stopping the flow of air through your mouth.
2. A consonant is a letter representing a consonant sound, such as ‘b’, ‘c’, ’d’, or ’t’.

phoneme /ˈfəʊniːm/ noun

1. A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish one word from another.

grammar /ˈɡræmə/ noun

1. Grammar is the ways that words can be put together in order to make sentences.
2. A grammar is a book that describes the rules of a language.

syntax /ˈsɪntæks/ noun

1. Syntax is the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences.

semantic /sɪˈmæntɪk/ adjective

1. Semantic means connected with the meanings of words and phrases.