segment (linguistics)
Information about segment (linguistics)
In linguistics (and phonetics), segment is used primarily “to refer to any discrete unit that can be identified, either physically or auditorily, in the stream of speech” (after A Dictionary of Linguistics & Phonetics, David Crystal, 2003, pp. 408–409).
In spoken languages, a segment may be a consonant, vowel, tone, or stress. It is not clear whether sign languages have equivalent segments.
In phonetics, the smallest perceptible segment is a phone.
In phonology, there is a subfield of segmental phonology. It deals with the analysis of speech into phonemes (or segmental phonemes), which correspond fairly well to phonetic segments of the analysed speech.
A word of caution, though, must be taken when analyzing the inventory of segmental units in any given language. Some segments may be simply marginal segments. This is the case with onomatopoeic words, or with loan words, where sounds exist only in a few specific words, but are not generally found throughout the entire language. In fact, onomatopoeic words and especially loan words are often the source of new segments being accepted into the general phonology of a language.
Carlos Gussenhoven & Haike Jacobs, "Understanding Phonology", Hodder & Arnold, 1998. 2nd edition 2005.
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A language is a system of symbols and the rules used to manipulate them. Language can also refer to the use of such systems as a general phenomenon.
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In spoken languages, a segment may be a consonant, vowel, tone, or stress. It is not clear whether sign languages have equivalent segments.
In phonetics, the smallest perceptible segment is a phone.
In phonology, there is a subfield of segmental phonology. It deals with the analysis of speech into phonemes (or segmental phonemes), which correspond fairly well to phonetic segments of the analysed speech.
A word of caution, though, must be taken when analyzing the inventory of segmental units in any given language. Some segments may be simply marginal segments. This is the case with onomatopoeic words, or with loan words, where sounds exist only in a few specific words, but are not generally found throughout the entire language. In fact, onomatopoeic words and especially loan words are often the source of new segments being accepted into the general phonology of a language.
References
David Crystal, A Dictionary of Linguistics & Phonetics, Blackwell, 2003. Info at Google Print.Carlos Gussenhoven & Haike Jacobs, "Understanding Phonology", Hodder & Arnold, 1998. 2nd edition 2005.
For the journal, see .
Linguistics is the scientific study of language, which can be theoretical or applied. Someone who engages in this study is called a linguist...... Click the link for more information.
Phonetics (from the Greek word φωνή, phone meaning 'sound, voice') is the study of the sounds of human speech. It is concerned with the actual properties of speech sounds (phones), and their production, audition and perception, while phonology, which
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Discrete mathematics, also called finite mathematics or Decision Maths, is the study of mathematical structures that are fundamentally discrete, in the sense of not supporting or requiring the notion of continuity.
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consonant is a sound in spoken language that is characterized by a closure or stricture of the vocal tract sufficient to cause audible turbulence. The word consonant
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vowel is a sound in spoken language that is characterized by an open configuration of the vocal tract so that there is no build-up of air pressure above the glottis. This contrasts with consonants, which are characterized by a constriction or closure at one or more points along the
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Tone is the use of pitch in language to distinguish words. All languages use intonation to express emphasis, contrast, emotion, or other such elements, but not every language uses tone to distinguish lexical meaning.
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stress is the relative emphasis that may be given to certain syllables in a word. The term is also used for similar patterns of phonetic prominence inside syllables. The word accent is sometimes also used with this sense.
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sign language (also signed language) is a language which uses manual communication, body language and lip patterns instead of sound to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to
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Phonetics (from the Greek word φωνή, phone meaning 'sound, voice') is the study of the sounds of human speech. It is concerned with the actual properties of speech sounds (phones), and their production, audition and perception, while phonology, which
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Within phonetics, a phone is:
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- a speech sound or gesture considered as a physical event without regard to its place in the phonology of a language
- a speech segment that possesses distinct physical or perceptual properties
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For the journal, see .
Phonology (Greek φωνή (phōnē), voice, sound + λόγος (lógos), word, speech, subject of discussion), is a subfield of linguistics which studies the sound system of a..... Click the link for more information.
phoneme is the smallest unit of speech that distinguishes meaning. Phonemes are not the physical segments themselves, but abstractions of them. An example of a phoneme would be the /t/ found in words like tip,
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See Language (journal) for the linguistics journal.
A language is a system of symbols and the rules used to manipulate them. Language can also refer to the use of such systems as a general phenomenon.
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