Fonem
/id/Source Language: The language or dialect this term originates from (ID).Definition & Context
NounNoun
A word that functions as the name of a specific object or set of objects, such as living creatures, places, actions, qualities, states of existence, or ideas.
The smallest unit of sound in a language system that serves to distinguish word meanings. As an abstract unit, a phoneme is realized through allophone pronunciations whose variations maintain the same semantic identity within a specific phonological environment.
Synonyms & Variants
alofon
The concrete realization of a phoneme in specific environments.
distingtif
The property of a sound that functions to differentiate one word from another.
satuan bunyi
The smallest unit of sound in language that serves to distinguish meaning.
unsur bunyi
The basic sound component that forms the phonological structure of a language.
bunyi bahasa
A more general term used outside of technical linguistic contexts.
morfem
Often compared in the analysis of language structure.
Usage Notes or Etymology
The term originates from the Greek root phonema meaning “a sound uttered”. It gained technical specificity within structural linguistics in the late 19th century to distinguish the physical aspect of sound from its cognitive function. Adopted into Indonesian via the Dutch loanword foneem, the term serves as a foundation for formal phonetic system analysis. In social contexts, the use of fonem is restricted to academic and professional fields such as linguistics, speech therapy, or language pedagogy. It is used to explain why a single minor sound change can alter the totality of meaning. Grammatically, fonem functions as an abstract theoretical unit, distinct from fon which represents the actual physical realization of the sound heard.
Real-world Usage
Perbedaan bunyi p dan b dalam bahasa Indonesia menunjukkan adanya dua fonem berbeda.
English Translation
Representative of real-world usage and contextual accuracy.