Meaning & use
sonagraph
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Meanings
nouncountabletechnical
A device that turns speech or other sounds into a visual chart showing how their frequencies change over time.
Grammar: Countable; use 'a sonagraph' or 'sonagraphs'. Often followed by 'of': a sonagraph of the vowel.
Patterns
- a sonagraph of something
- produce a sonagraph
- analyze something with a sonagraph
The researchers used a sonagraph to study the vowel sounds in the recording.
A sonagraph of the sentence showed clear differences between the two speakers.
nouncountabletechnical
A visual chart made by such a device, showing bands that represent different sound frequencies.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'on' or 'in': the pattern appears on the sonagraph.
Patterns
- on the sonagraph
- look at a sonagraph
- read a sonagraph
You can see the difference between /s/ and /ʃ/ clearly on the sonagraph.
The sonagraph showed a steady tone with little variation.
Word forms
| plural | sonagraphs |
|---|
Common combinations
- sonagraph analysis
- Sonagraph analysis revealed the exact pitch of each note.
- sonagraph display
- The sonagraph display was projected onto the screen for the students.
- sonagraph reading
- Her sonagraph reading skills helped her identify the dialect.
- produce a sonagraph
- The software can produce a sonagraph from any audio file.
Synonyms and how they differ
- spectrograph
- Spectrograph is the more general term for any instrument that separates and records a spectrum; sonagraph is specifically for sound and is often a brand name.
- sound spectrograph
- Sound spectrograph is the full descriptive term; sonagraph is a shorter, trademarked term used especially in linguistics.
Word family
- sonagram noun
- The chart or image produced by a sonagraph; also spelled sonogram in some fields.
- sonagraphic adjective
- Relating to a sonagraph or the charts it makes, as in sonagraphic analysis.
Commonly confused: sonagraph or sonogram? sonagraph or seismograph?
sonagraph vs sonogram
A sonogram is a medical image made with ultrasound, while a sonagraph is a linguistic tool for analyzing sound frequencies. They sound similar but belong to different fields.
sonagraph vs seismograph
A seismograph records earthquakes, not sound; the spelling is similar but the meaning is completely different.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'sonagraph' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A sonagraph is a tool for analyzing sound frequencies, so it fits the linguistic context. Option A describes a medical ultrasound, which is a sonogram, not a sonagraph. Option C is wrong because a sonagraph is not a musical instrument. Option D is wrong because a sonagraph is not a written message.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sonagraph”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.