Psycholinguistics: Speech Errors 1.1
In this exercise, you will practice recognizing various speech errors (SE). Just a few comments before you begin.
SEs occur within specific levels of language processing. Some are discrete (occur at one level, e.g. phonological), some are blended (involve errors at more than one level, e.g., phonological and semantic).
SEs also occur in various domains, such as word internal, across syllable/word boundaries, and at the phrasal level.
For each example in this exercise, select the term that best describes the SE.
Start
You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%.
Your answers are highlighted below.
Question 1 |
Tremendously → Tremenly
A | Transposition Hint: Transposition is an error in which a sound segment is moved from one part of an utterance to another. |
B | Anticipation Hint: Anticipation is an error in which a sound segment in a word later in the utterance is used in an earlier word in the utterance. |
C | Omission Hint: In this example the third syllable has been omitted from the word. |
Question 2 |
Reagan campaign → Ceagan campaign
A | Anticipation Hint: This is anticipation because the initial sound /k/ of the second syllable of the word campaign influences the initial sound of the initial syllable. |
B | Omission Hint: Omission is an error in which a sound segment is deleted from the utterance. |
C | Perseverance Hint: Perseverance is an error where a sound segment in a word early in the utterance lingers and is used in a later word in the utterance. |
Question 3 |
Slippery crags → Crippery Slags
A | Omission Hint: Omission is an error in which a sound segment is omitted from the utterance. |
B | Metathesis Hint: Metathesis is an error in which two sound segments replace each other. In this example, the initial clusters of the two words are swapped. |
C | Transposition Hint: Transposition is an error in which a sound segment is moved from one part of an utterance to another. In this example more than one sound segment has been moved. |
Question 4 |
Shout + yell → Shell
A | Blending Hint: This example shows blending of the two semantically related words shout/yell. The two words are phonologically blending. |
B | Omission Hint: Omission is an error in which a sound segment is deleted from the utterance. |
C | Transposition Hint: Transposition is an error in which a sound segment is moved from one part of an utterance to another. |
Question 5 |
Pat put the pot on the table. → Pat put the pot on the pable.
A | Perseverance Hint: This is perseverance because the initial sound /p/ from pat, put, and pot remains in the mind of the speaker and is used in the later word table. |
B | Anticipation Hint: Anticipation is an error in which a sound segment in a word later in the utterance is used in an earlier word in the utterance. |
C | Metathesis Hint: Metathesis is an error in which two sound segments replace each other. |
Question 6 |
Take my bike → Bake my bike
A | Transposition Hint: Transposition is an error in which a sound segment is moved from one part of an utterance to another. |
B | Perseverance Hint: Perseverance is an error where a sound segment in a word early in the utterance lingers and is used in a later word in the utterance. |
C | Anticipation Hint: This is anticipation because the initial sound of the final word ‘bike’ influences the earlier word in the utterance ‘take’. |
Question 7 |
On the computer → On the comuter
A | Omission Hint: In this example, the sound segment /p/ has been omitted from computer. |
B | Transposition Hint: Transposition is an error in which a sound segment is moved from one part of an utterance to another. |
C | Perseverance Hint: Perseverance is an error where a sound segment in a word early in the utterance lingers and is used in a later word in the utterance. |
Question 8 |
He had an upset stomach/tummy → He had an upset stummy.
A | Blending Hint: This example shows blending of the two semantically related words stomach/tummy. The two words are phonologically blending. |
B | Transposition Hint: Transposition is an error in which a sound segment is moved from one part of an utterance to another. |
C | Perseverance Hint: Perseverance is an error where a sound segment in a word early in the utterance lingers and is used in a later word in the utterance.
|
Question 9 |
Feed the dog → Deed the fog
A | Perseverance Hint: Perseverance is an error where a sound segment in a word early in the utterance lingers and is used in a later word in the utterance. |
B | Metathesis Hint: This is metathesis because the two initial sound segments of feed and dog replace each other. |
C | Anticipation Hint: Anticipation is an error in which a sound segment in a word later in the utterance is used in an earlier word in the utterance. |
Question 10 |
thick and musky → thusky
A | Blending Hint: This example shows blending of the two adjectives. The two words are phonologically blending. |
B | Omission Hint: Omission is an error in which a sound segment is omitted from the utterance. |
C | Anticipation Hint: Anticipation is an error in which a sound segment in a word later in the utterance is used in an earlier word in the utterance. |
Question 11 |
Forgotten about → Forgot aboutten
A | Anticipation Hint: Anticipation is an error in which a sound segment in a word later in the utterance is used in an earlier word in the utterance. |
B | Transposition Hint: This is transposition because the sound segment, the morpheme -ten, is moved from the end of the word ‘forgot’ to the end of the word ‘about’. |
C | Metathesis Hint: Metathesis is an error in which two sound segments replace each other. |
Question 12 |
Walk the beach → Balk the weach
A | Anticipation Hint: Anticipation is an error in which a sound segment in a word later in the utterance is used in an earlier word in the utterance.
|
B | Metathesis Hint: The initial sound segments of walk and beach replace each other in this example. |
C | Transposition Hint: Transposition is an error in which a sound segment is moved from one part of an utterance to another. |
Question 13 |
Keep a tape → Teep a cape
A | Transposition Hint: Transposition is an error in which a sound segment is moved from one part of an utterance to another. |
B | Metathesis Hint: In this example the initial sounds of ‘keep’ and ‘tape’ are exchanged one for another. |
C | Blending Hint: In examples of blending two words are combined to form a single word. |
Question 14 |
Nick of time → Nick of nime
A | Perseverance Hint: This is perseverance because the initial sound of the earlier word ‘nick’ influences the initial sound of the later word ‘time’. |
B | Transposition Hint: Transposition is an error in which a sound segment is moved from one part of an utterance to another. |
C | Metathesis Hint: Metathesis is an error in which two sound segments replace each other. |
Question 15 |
Rule of thumb → Rule of rum.
A | Anticipation Hint: Anticipation is an error in which a sound segment in a word later in the utterance is used in an earlier word in the utterance. |
B | Perseverance Hint: The initial sound /r/ of rule is used again later in the utterance where thumb → rum. |
C | Omission Hint: Omission is an error in which a sound segment is omitted from the utterance. |
Once you are finished, click the button below. Any items you have not completed will be marked incorrect.
Get Results
There are 15 questions to complete.
You have completed
questions
question
Your score is
Correct
Wrong
Partial-Credit
You have not finished your quiz. If you leave this page, your progress will be lost.
Correct Answer
You Selected
Not Attempted
Final Score on Quiz
Attempted Questions Correct
Attempted Questions Wrong
Questions Not Attempted
Total Questions on Quiz
Question Details
Results
Date
Score
Hint
Time allowed
minutes
seconds
Time used
Answer Choice(s) Selected
Question Text
All done
Need more practice!
Keep trying!
Not bad!
Good work!
Perfect!
Return to Psycholinguistics Exercises