What is a phoneme in the context of linguistics?

A phoneme is defined as the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish meaning. For instance, changing a single phoneme in a word can alter its meaning entirely, as seen in the words "bat" and "pat," which differ only in their initial phonemes. Phonemes do not carry meaning by themselves, but they are crucial in forming words and contributing to the overall sound structure of a language. This understanding highlights their essential role in phonology, the study of how sounds function within particular languages. By recognizing phonemes, language learners can improve their pronunciation and comprehension, as well as their ability to decode written language.

In contrast, a meaningful unit of language refers to morphemes, rules governing word formation pertain to morphology, and the linguistic meaning of a word relates to semantics. Each of these concepts serves a different purpose in understanding language structure and use.