Graphemes and Allographs Flashcards

Graphemes

• Represented by printed letters.
• One letter can correspond to multiple speech sounds; e.g., "c" in "cent" vs. "car," and "o" in "cod," "bone," "women," etc.

Allographs

• Variations in letter sequences or patterns that produce the same sound.
• Example: The "ooo" sound can be represented as "loop," "through," "threw," "fruit," and "canoe."

Silent Letters

• Letters written but not phonetically pronounced.
• Examples include "know," "bite," "khaki," and "plumb."

Digraphs

• Combinations of two letters that symbolize a single sound.
• Examples include "shoe," "steak," "tissue," and "heed."

Phonology

• The structured organization of speech sounds within language production.
• Involves linguistic rules for phoneme arrangement and syllable formation.

Morphology

• Focuses on word structures and meaningful sound sequences.

Semantics

• Encompasses word meanings, knowledge, and vocabulary.
• Illustrative examples include "truck" vs. "lorry" and "elevator" vs. "lift."

Syntax

• Pertains to order and structure within sentences.
• Involves rules for sentence and phrase formation, demonstrating variations like "The blue car" vs. "The car blue."

Phonetics

• Examines speech sound production, including articulations, acoustic properties, and perception.
• Aims to enhance understanding and improve linguistic expression.

Pragmatics

• Studies language usage within social contexts.
• Includes examples such as the "poo" scenario to illustrate meaning and context.

Prosody

• Focuses on the rhythm, stress patterns, and pauses in speech.
• Example: Variations in emphasis can change meaning, as illustrated by "I WANT some butter" vs. "I want some BUTTER."
• Research indicates prosody significantly influences correct perception over grammatical correctness.

Branches of Phonetics

• Historical Phonetics
• Physiological/Articulatory Phonetics
• Acoustic Phonetics
• Perceptual Phonetics
• Experimental Phonetics
• Clinical or Applied Phonetics