A distinctive feature is a specific characteristic used to describe and differentiate phonemes in a language. These features can include aspects such as voicing, place of articulation, manner of articulation, and more. For example, the sounds /p/ and /b/ are differentiated by the feature of voicing; /p/ is voiceless, while /b/ is voiced. Distinctive features are important in phonology because they provide a framework for analyzing how sounds are organized and how they interact in a language, helping linguists understand the sound system and the rules governing speech patterns.

Définition et signification de « distinctive feature » en anglais

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