The smallest class of sound that makes a difference in meaning is a(n)_______________.
A)allophone
B)morpheme
C)allomorph
D)phoneme
E)free morpheme

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound that can change the meaning of a word. For example, the difference between the /p/ sound in "pat" and the /b/ sound in "bat" changes the meaning of the word, making them two distinct words with different meanings. Allophones, allomorphs, and free morphemes do not necessarily change the meaning of a word.

The Smallest Class of Sound That Makes a Difference in Meaning