* Phonemes: These are the smallest units of sound in a language that distinguish meaning. Structural linguistics focuses on how phonemes are arranged and combined to create words and larger units of meaning.
* Morphemes: These are the smallest units of meaning in a language. Structural linguistics analyzes how morphemes are combined to form words and how they relate to syntax and grammar.
Key Concepts in Structural Linguistics:
* Distinctive Features: These are the specific features that differentiate one phoneme from another (e.g., voicing, place of articulation). Structural linguists identify these features to understand the sound system of a language.
* Phonetic Transcription: Structural linguists use phonetic transcription to represent the sounds of a language accurately and systematically.
* Morphological Analysis: This involves breaking down words into their constituent morphemes and analyzing their meaning and function.
* Syntax: Structural linguistics studies how words are combined into phrases and sentences, and how these combinations contribute to meaning.
Examples:
* Phoneme Example: The phonemes /p/ and /b/ are distinctive in English. The words "pat" and "bat" differ only in the initial consonant sound.
* Morpheme Example: The word "unbreakable" can be broken down into three morphemes: "un-", "break", and "-able". Each morpheme contributes to the overall meaning of the word.
In summary, structural linguistics provides a framework for analyzing the sound system (phonemes) and the meaning units (morphemes) of a language, contributing to a deeper understanding of language structure.