In the study of the structure of language, what is the term for the mental system that contains words stored in memory, each with a threshold for being activated?

• A. Phonology
• B. Lexicon
• C. Pragmatics
• D. Syntax

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the question is asking about a mental system related to language, specifically one that stores words and their activation thresholds.
2. Recall that in linguistics and psycholinguistics, the mental system that stores knowledge about words, including their meanings, pronunciations, and usage, is called the 'lexicon'.
3. Recognize that 'phonology' refers to the sound system of a language, 'syntax' refers to the rules for sentence structure, and 'pragmatics' deals with language use in context, so these do not fit the description given.
4. Identify that the lexicon functions as a mental dictionary where each word has an activation threshold, meaning some words are more easily accessed or activated in the mind than others.
5. Conclude that the correct term for the mental system described in the problem is the 'lexicon'.