Correct Response: A. Semantics (A) is an area of linguistics concerned with the relationships between words and phrases and the meaning they convey within a given language. English learners (and all language learners) possess a mental lexicon that maps objects, concepts, etc., to distinct words and phrases as part of the process of comprehending and producing language. English learners are able to use prior knowledge, inference, visuals, etc., in order to fast-map the basic concept of a new word to their mental lexicons after even a brief exposure to the word. This initial concept undergoes revision and gains more depth and nuance through subsequent exposures to the word in a process called "extended mapping." Although B, C, and D are also areas of linguistics, they are incorrect because they focus on aspects of language other than the meaning of words and phrases. Phonology (B) focuses on the sound system of a language. Discourse (C) focuses on oral or written units of language longer than a sentence (e.g., a paragraph, a conversation, a text, a debate). Syntax (D) focuses on the structure of sentences in a language (e.g., rules governing word order, subject-verb agreement).
