When linguistic anthropologists search for minimal pairs of words from informants,they are most likely to be looking for
A) morphemes.
B) metaphors.
C) phonemes.
D) sociolinguistic rules.

Question

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Linguistic anthropologists search for minimal pairs of words in order to identify contrasting phonemes, which are the smallest units of sound that can change the meaning of a word. By finding minimal pairs, researchers can analyze the phonological rules and patterns of the language being studied. Morphemes (A) are the smallest meaningful units of language, metaphors (B) are not relevant to this process, and sociolinguistic rules (D) pertain to the social context of language use rather than its phonology.

When Linguistic Anthropologists Search for Minimal Pairs of Words from Informants,they