Meaning & use
phonogram
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Meanings
nouncountabletechnical
A written symbol or letter combination that stands for a particular speech sound.
Grammar: Countable: use a/an or the plural phonograms.
Patterns
- a phonogram for a sound
- a phonogram represents something
In this writing system, each phonogram stands for one consonant or vowel sound.
The children learned that the phonogram 'sh' makes a single sound.
Linguists study how phonograms combine to form words.
nouncountabletechnical
A single written character in a system where characters mainly represent sounds, as in ancient Egyptian or Mayan writing.
Grammar: Countable; often used in the plural when talking about a writing system.
Patterns
- a system of phonograms
- read a phonogram
Mayan scribes used both phonograms and logograms in the same text.
The decipherment began when scholars recognized certain signs as phonograms.
A phonogram can also carry a meaning, but its main job is to show a sound.
Word forms
| plural | phonograms |
|---|
Common combinations
- phonogram card
- The teacher held up a phonogram card and asked for the sound.
- phonogram system
- Japanese kana is a phonogram system.
- read a phonogram
- New readers learn to read each phonogram aloud.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- phonogramic adjective
- Relating to phonograms or a writing system that uses them.
Commonly confused: phonogram or logogram?
phonogram vs logogram
A logogram represents a whole word or meaning, while a phonogram represents a sound.
Practice
In the word 'light', the letters 'igh' function as a ______ because they represent the /aɪ/ sound.
Choose one answer.
A phonogram stands for a sound, so 'igh' is a phonogram. A logogram would stand for a whole word or meaning, not just the sound.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “phonogram”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.