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Glite Dictionary
phonemically

phonemically

9.1
In a way that shows the small sounds that change the meaning of words in a language
  • adverb
  • /fəˈnɛmɪkli/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fonémicamente
  • A linguist analyzed how native speakers differentiate words phonemically during conversation.

Examples

  • And again, when she regained the ability to use tone phonemically in Norwegian, she no longer used it expressively.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Similarly, he cites a Norwegian aphasic who lost the ability to pronounce tones phonemically in Norwegian.

    Academic text (2006)

  • In phonemically rich languages, subtle sound changes can completely alter meaning.

  • Students learned to identify how certain letters function phonemically in different words.

Synonyms

phonologically
vsphonemically
  • Specialized
6.9

In a way that is about the sounds and patterns in a language

focuses on the smallest distinctive sound units rather than larger patterns

Surface Forms

phonemically positive

Morphology

phonemically = phonemic (transparent) = phoneme + ic + ally

Formed regularly from 'phonemic' (adjective) by adding the adverbial suffix '-ally'; the chain phoneme → phonemic → phonemically is predictable.

Etymology

Phonemically comes from the root phon- meaning 'sound' and from phoneme, a word for a single sound in a language, and the same root appears in everyday words like telephone and microphone. So, to look at language phonemically is to focus on its smallest sounds.