Phonology

//fəˈnɒləd͡ʒi// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The study of the way sounds function in languages, including accent, intonation, phonemes, stress, and syllable structure, and which sounds are distinctive units within a language; (countable) the way sounds function within a given language; a phonological system. uncountable

    "Prospectus of a new work, entitled Pantographia: Containing accurate copies of all the known alphabets in the world. Together with an English explanation of the peculiar force of each letter: To which will be added specimens of all well-authenticated oral languages, Forming a comprehensive Digest of phonology."

  2. 2
    the study of the sound system of a given language and the analysis and classification of its phonemes wordnet
  3. 3
    The study of the way components of signs function in a sign language, and which components are distinctive units within the language; (countable) the way components of signs function within a given sign language. broadly, uncountable

    "Sign language linguists have produced many volumes of description of the phonology and morphology of signs and the syntax of sign languages."

Etymology

From phono- (prefix denoting sound) + -logy (suffix denoting a branch of learning, or a study of a particular subject).

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