grapheme
Smallest written symbol
A grapheme is the smallest unit of a writing system that represents a sound or meaning.
In English, graphemes include single letters like a and t, as well as letter combinations that function as units, like sh or th.
The term is useful for distinguishing between how we write and how we speak—a word like "ship" has four letters but three graphemes.
Grapheme is the written counterpart to phoneme, which is the smallest unit of spoken sound.
Study of signs, symbols
- symbolRepresentational mark or sign
- signMark conveying information
- signifierMeaning-bearing form
- representationDepiction or likeness
unit · segmentation · analysis · minimal · distinctive · written · visual · abstract
Language's letter system
- cuneiformStylus-impressed ancient script
- hieroglyphicsSymbolic picture-based writing
- syllabaryWriting using sound-units
- logogramSymbol representing entire word
Lettering style design
- fontCharacter style set
- serifLetter terminal flourish
- sans-serifType without terminal strokes
- glyphVisual form of character
ligature · kerning · italic · bold · ascender · descender · baseline · x-height
Language's letter system
- uppercaseCapital letter form
- lowercaseUncapitalized letter form
- consonantIn agreement with
- vowelUnobstructed speech sound
initial · medial · final · character · abc · spelling · transliteration · romanization
Written words for performance
- letteringStyled written characters
- handwritingManual letter formation
- penmanshipSkill of forming letters
- cursiveJoined handwriting style
nib · ink · manuscript · inscription · paleography · uncial · blackletter · Spencerian
Non-distinctive sound variation
- syllableUnit of pronunciation
- articulationClear vocal expression
- pronunciationManner of speaking words
- correspondenceExchanged written communication
mapping · sound · speech · voicing · diphthong · monophthong · stress · tone
semiotics
Study of signs, symbols
representation · unit · segmentation · analysis · minimal · distinctive · written · visual · abstract · concrete
alphabet
Language's letter system
- cuneiformStylus-impressed ancient script
- hieroglyphicsSymbolic picture-based writing
- syllabaryWriting using sound-units
logogram · ideogram · pictogram · kanji · hiragana · katakana · runic
typeface
Lettering style design
- fontCharacter style set
- serifLetter terminal flourish
- sans-serifType without terminal strokes
glyph · ligature · kerning · italic · bold · ascender · descender · baseline · x-height · counter
alphabet
Language's letter system
vowel · initial · medial · final · character · abc · spelling · transliteration · romanization · transcription
script
Written words for performance
- letteringStyled written characters
- handwritingManual letter formation
- penmanshipSkill of forming letters
cursive · nib · ink · manuscript · inscription · paleography · uncial · blackletter · Spencerian · copperplate
allophone
Non-distinctive sound variation
- syllableUnit of pronunciation
- articulationClear vocal expression
- pronunciationManner of speaking words
correspondence · mapping · sound · speech · voicing · diphthong · monophthong · stress · tone · aspiration
- lettersa, d, e, h, q
- writing historyalphabet, cuneiform, hieroglyphics, hieroglyphs, scripts
- writing systemsalphabet, vowel, alphabets, Cyrillic alphabet, consonant
- linguistic unitsword, syllable, letter, character, phrase
- scriptsalphabet, Latin alphabet, Roman alphabet, Greek alphabet, Hebrew alphabet
- Medieval Writingthorn, runic script, insular script, blackletter, scribe