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(Definition of phoneme)

: any of the abstract units of thephonetic system of a language that correspond to a set of similar speech sounds (such as the velar \k\ of cooland the palatal \k\ of keel) which are perceived to be a single distinctive sound in the language .

See phoneme defined for English-language learners

See phoneme defined for kids

Examples of phoneme in a Sentence

The sounds represented by “c” and “b” are different phonemes, as in the words “cat” and “bat.”

Phonology

 study of the sound patterns that occur with in languages. Some linguists include phonetics, the study of the production and description of speech sounds, within the study ofphonology.

Diachronic (historical) phonology examines and constructs theories about the changes and modifications in speech sounds and sound systems over a period of time. For example, it is concerned with the process by which the English words “sea” and “see,” once pronounced with different vowel sounds (as indicated by the spelling), have come to be pronounced alike today.

Definition of Morphemes

As scientists have studied the composition of the universe, they've determined that the smallest unit for measuring an element is the atom. If you think of the periodic table of elements, atoms are what comprise elements, such as hydrogen, carbon, silver, gold, calcium, and so on. Scientists utilize this classification system for uniformity, so that they're on the same page in the terminology of their studies.

Morphology

Morphology is the arrangement and relationships of the smallest meaningful units in a language. So what does this really mean? Every human language depends on sounds. When specific sounds are put together in a specific way, words, phrases, and finally sentences can be created. This is how messages are sent and received.

consonant

noun [ C ] UK /ˈkɒn.sə.nənt/ US /ˈkɑːn.sə.nənt/

B1 one of the speech sounds orletters of the alphabet that is not avowel. Consonants are pronouncedby stopping the air from flowingeasily through the mouth,especially by closing the lips ortouching the teeth with the tongue.

Examples

Don't you hate the way she speaks, pronouncingeach single consonant so precisely.

She's got some unpronounceablename thatseems to be all consonants.

vowel

noun [ C ] UK /vaʊəl/ US /vaʊəl/

B1 a speech sound produced byhumans when the breathflows out through the mouth without beingblocked by the teeth, tongue, orlips:

A short vowel is a short sound as in the word "cup".

A long vowel is a long sound as in the word "shoe".