Which option correctly defines a phoneme?

Which option correctly defines a phoneme?

• A. A variation in loudness.
• B. The smallest unit of meaning.
• C. A combination of morphemes.
• D. The smallest unit of sound.

Answer: (D)

A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish meaning. This is about sounds, not letters or how loudly something is spoken. For example, the sounds /p/ and /b/ differentiate words like "pat" and "bat," so they are different phonemes in English. Variation in loudness or emphasis relates to prosody, not to a unit that changes meaning; a morpheme, on the other hand, is the smallest unit of meaning, and a combination of morphemes forms words or phrases. So the correct definition is the smallest unit of sound.

A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish meaning. This is about sounds, not letters or how loudly something is spoken. For example, the sounds /p/ and /b/ differentiate words like "pat" and "bat," so they are different phonemes in English. Variation in loudness or emphasis relates to prosody, not to a unit that changes meaning; a morpheme, on the other hand, is the smallest unit of meaning, and a combination of morphemes forms words or phrases. So the correct definition is the smallest unit of sound.