Phonemes:
* Definition: The smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish meaning.
* Example: The sounds /k/ and /b/ are phonemes in English because they distinguish words like "cat" and "bat."
* Focus: Sound
Morphemes:
* Definition: The smallest unit of meaning in a language.
* Example: The word "unbreakable" contains three morphemes: "un-", "break", and "-able." Each contributes to the overall meaning.
* Focus: Meaning
The Relationship:
* Morphemes are built from phonemes: Morphemes are made up of sequences of phonemes. For example, the morpheme "cat" is made up of the phonemes /k/, /æ/, and /t/.
* Phonemes don't always have meaning: While phonemes are the building blocks of morphemes, they don't carry meaning on their own. You can't understand the meaning of a word just by knowing its phonemes.
* Morphemes can be made up of multiple phonemes: A single morpheme can be made up of multiple phonemes (e.g., "unbreakable" has 9 phonemes, but 3 morphemes).
Analogy:
Think of it like LEGO blocks:
* Phonemes are like individual bricks: They are the basic building blocks.
* Morphemes are like completed structures built from bricks: They have a specific meaning and function.
In summary: Phonemes are the sounds of a language, while morphemes are the meaningful units. Morphemes are built from phonemes, but the relationship is not one-to-one.