Meaning & Definition of word "Phonology"

Phonology

/fəˈnɒlədʒi/

1. The branch of linguistics that deals with the systematic organization of sounds in languages.
- Example: Phonology examines how sounds function in particular languages or dialects.
2. The study of the abstract sound systems of languages, including phonemes and their patterns.
- Example: Understanding phonology is crucial for learning how different languages utilize sound.
3. The rules and patterns that govern the sound structure of a particular language.
- Example: Her research focused on the phonology of the indigenous languages of the region.
4. The mental representation and processing of sounds in human language.
- Example: Phonology plays a key role in comprehending how we produce and perceive speech.

Derived from the Greek 'phonē' meaning 'sound' and 'logia' meaning 'study of'.

phonological rules:

Rules that describe the predictable sound patterns in a language.

phonological awareness:

The ability to notice and manipulate sounds in spoken language.

phonemic distinction:

The ability to differentiate sounds that contribute to meaning.

phoneme:

The smallest unit of sound that can distinguish one word from another.

morpheme:

The smallest grammatical unit in a language.

allophone:

One of two or more variants of the same phoneme.

Meaning: Sound study

Example Sentence: That class on sound study is all about phonology.

Meaning: Sound rules

Example Sentence: When we talk about sound rules in linguistics, we often refer back to phonology.