NYSTCE English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Practice Test

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What does the term "transcription" refer to in language studies?

  1. A method of decoding speech sounds

  2. A way to visually represent sounds

  3. A strategy for vocabulary enhancement

  4. A genre of written language

The correct answer is: A way to visually represent sounds

The term "transcription" in language studies refers to a way to visually represent sounds, making it possible to capture the nuances of spoken language in written form. This process often involves using a specific system of symbols to denote the various sounds, such as the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) in phonetic transcription. Through transcription, learners can see how words are pronounced, which can aid in understanding pronunciation patterns and linguistic features. The other choices do not accurately reflect the meaning of "transcription". Decoding speech sounds relates more to the cognitive process of understanding spoken language, while strategies for vocabulary enhancement focus on building word knowledge rather than representing sounds visually. A genre of written language refers to categories of written text and does not pertain to the representation of speech sounds. Therefore, the definition of transcription aligns precisely with the concept of visually representing sounds, making it the correct choice.