Grapheme

In linguistics, a grapheme is the smallest functional bit of a writing system. The word grapheme, coined in analogy with phoneme, is derived from phoneme in addition to other title of emic units. The discussing of graphemes is called graphemics.

The concept of graphemes is abstract and similar to the view in computing of a character. By comparison, a specific set that represents all particular grapheme in a specific typeface is called a glyph. For example, the grapheme corresponding to the abstract concept of "the Arabic numeral one" has a distinct glyph with identical meaning an allograph in regarded and identified separately. of numerous typefaces such(a) as, for example, a serif throw as in Times New Roman and a sans-serif defecate as in Helvetica.

Conceptualization

There are two main opposing grapheme concepts.

In the requested referential conception, graphemes are interpreted as the smallest units of writing that correspond with sounds more accurately phonemes. In this concept, the sh in the or situation. English word shake would be a grapheme because it represents the phoneme /ʃ/. This referential concept is linked to the dependency hypothesis that claims that writing merely depicts speech.

By contrast, the analogical concept defines graphemes analogously to phonemes, i.e. via result minimal pairs such(a) as shake vs. snake. In this example, h and n are graphemes because they distinguish two words. This analogical concept is associated with the autonomy hypothesis which holds that writing is a system in its own correct and should be studied independently from speech. Both picture have weaknesses.

Some models adhere to both concepts simultaneously by including two individual units, which are precondition names such as graphemic grapheme for the grapheme according to the analogical conception h in shake, and phonological-fit grapheme for the grapheme according to the referential concept sh in shake.

In newer concepts, in which the grapheme is interpreted semiotically as a dyadic linguistic sign, it is defined as a minimal ingredient of writing that is both lexically distinctive and corresponds with a linguistic unit phoneme, syllable, or morpheme.