Pronunciation: [sˈɛmantˌiːm] (IPA) 
The word "semanteme" refers to the smallest unit of meaning in language. The IPA phonetic transcription for this word is /ˈsɛməntiːm/. Here, the initial "s" is pronounced as /s/, the "e" is pronounced as /ɛ/, the "m" as /m/, the "a" as /ə/, the "n" as /n/, the "t" as /t/, the "e" again as /iː/, and the final "m" as /m/. The combination of these sounds creates the proper pronunciation and spelling of the word "semanteme".
A semanteme is a term used in linguistic theory to describe the smallest meaningful unit within a language. It refers to a single semantically distinct element that carries a specific meaning. This concept is derived from the field of semantics, which focuses on the study of meaning in language.
Semantemes are fundamental building blocks of semantic analysis, allowing linguists to examine and understand the various meanings encoded in words, phrases, and sentences. Each semanteme represents a discrete idea or concept that contributes to the overall meaning of a linguistic unit.
These units can take various forms, including individual words, morphemes, or even entire phrases, depending on their complexity. Each semanteme is associated with a specific set of semantic features that define its meaning.
The study of semantemes is crucial for understanding how language conveys meaning, as it helps to identify the core semantic components of linguistic expressions. By analyzing the arrangement and combination of semantemes, linguists can investigate how meaning is constructed and interpreted in different contexts.
Overall, semantemes serve as the atoms of meaning within a language, illuminating the intricate ways in which we communicate and convey information through linguistic structures.
The term "semanteme" was coined by the American linguist Kenneth Lee Pike in the mid-20th century. It is derived from two Greek words: "semant", which means "signification" or "meaning", and "eme", meaning "unit" or "element". Pike introduced the term as a way to describe the smallest meaningful unit of language, analogous to a phoneme, which is the smallest unit of sound. The concept of the semanteme is used in the field of linguistics to analyze the semantic structure and meaning of language.
