12.The theory of phoneme

Our purpose is to discuss the destinations of the phoneme methods used in establishing the phonemic structure of the language. The system of E. phonemes, modifications of sounds in connected speech & stylistic differentiation of vowels & consonants in E..

The smallest unit in this linguistic aspect is called the phonemeorthe sound type. In the spoken language a much greater number of the various sounds is pronounced when we usually think. These sounds in every given language unit to form a comparatively small number of sound types, capable of differentiating words & their forms (capable of serving the purposes of human intercourse). We shall call them phonemes. (Scherba)

He defines the phoneme as the smallest general phonetic unit of a given language, which can be associated with sense notions & can differentitate words or word forms.

Мел-мель, little-less

Scherba (Щерба) speaks about the sense differentiation functions of the phoneme. The phonemeis a minimal abstract linguistic unit, realized in speech in the forms of speech sounds opposable to other phonemes of the same language to distinguish the meaning of morphemes & words.

The phonemeis a functional unit. The opposition of phonemes in the same phonetic environment differentiates the meaning of morphemes & words. Sometimes the opposition of phonemes serves to distinguish the meaning of the whole phrase. (Example: He was hurt badly; He was heard badly).

Allophoneis used for sounds which are the variants of a phoneme the usually occur in different positions in the word, but cannot contrast with each other, no be used to make meaningful distinctions.

All the actual speech sounds are allophones that exist in the language. Those the variants that help to distinguish words when opposed to one acquire only in certain positions or in certain sound combinations are realization of one & the same phoneme.

Those sounds, which can not distinguish the meaning of words & occur only in certain positions or in certain sound combinations are realizations of one & the same phoneme.

Variants of allophones of one & the same phoneme can not distinguish the meaning of the words though the acoustic & articulatory aspects may be different & quite distinct.

Allophones which never occur in one & the same position are said to be in complementary distribution. Allophones which occur in same phonetic position, but can never distinguish meanings of the words are said to be in free variation.

The Relation of a Phoneme & its Allophones

On one h& the phoneme is an abstraction & generalization. It is abstracted from its variants that exist in the actual speech & characterized by features that are common to all these variants.

On the other h& the phoneme is material, real & objective, because in speech it is represented by concrete material sounds. It correlates with its allophones as universal with an individual

The linguistic role of the phoneme is seeing in its functions:

The constitutivefunction. Phonemes make up morphemes, words & their forms (sentences, phrases & etc.).

The distinctive function. Phonemes help to distinguish morphemes, words & their forms.

The precognitivefunction. Phonemes help to recognize words, morphemes.

In speech we constantly carry out a phonetic & phonological analysis, so it is phonetic characteristics of sounds. But as soon as we determine the role of those sounds in communication when it is of phonological analysis.

Phonetic & phonological analysis of one & the same phenomenon — the sound substance of a language.

The main problems of the Phoneme Theory

To establish the inventory of phonemes in a given language

To establish the relations among phonemes in a given language

To define the phonetic status of a sound in a neutral position