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Featured Article: Phoneme

A simplified procedure for determining whether two sounds represent the same or different phonemes

In phonology and linguistics, a phoneme (/ˈfoʊniːm/) is a unit of sound that can distinguish one word from another in a particular language. Phonemes that are established by the use of minimal pairs, such as tap vs tab or pat vs bat, are written between slashes: /p/, /b/. Speech sounds that differ but do not create a meaningful change in the word are known as allophones of the same phoneme. Phonemes are often considered to constitute an abstract underlying representation for segments of words, while speech sounds make up the corresponding phonetic realization, or the surface form.

Popular Article: Garnet

Garnet is a group of minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. Garnets are most often seen in red, but are available in a wide variety of colors spanning the entire spectrum. Pure crystals of garnet are used as gemstones. In addition, garnet sand is a good abrasive and may be used to replace silica in sand blasting. Very high pressure streams of garnet sand mixed into water (Water jets) are used to cut steel and other materials.

Did you know?

Marcus Daly was an Irish-born American businessman known as one of the three "Copper Kings" of Butte, Montana (source: Marcus Daly)

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