phememe Linguistics.
(ˈfiːmiːm)
[f. prec.: see -eme.]
A term used by Leonard Bloomfield for the smallest linguistic unit.
| 1933 L. Bloomfield Language xvi. 264 The parallelism of lexical and grammatical features can be exhibited in a set of terms like the following: (1) Smallest and meaningless unit of linguistic signaling: phememe; (a) lexical: phoneme; (b) grammatical: taxeme. 1936 J. R. Kantor Objective Psychol. Gram. xi. 149 The reader will notice the three hierarchical steps or classes: phememe, glosseme, and linguistic form. 1955 J. L. Austin How to do Things with Words (1962) vii. 92 A ‘pheme’ (as distinct from the phememe of linguistic theory). |