Comparison of morpheme-morph-allomorph and phoneme-phone-allophone

The relationship between a morpheme and its morphs and allomorphs is parallel to the relationship between a phoneme and its phones and allophones.

A morpheme is manifested as one or more morphs (surface forms) in different environments. These morphs are called allomorphs.

A phoneme is manifested as one or more phones (phonetic sounds) in different environments. These phones are called allophones.

Context for this page:

• Fact module: Comparison of morpheme-morph-allomorph and phoneme...
• In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): Related terms
• In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
• In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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