Grapheme

Translations

grafema | graphème | Graphem

Article

Structural unit of a writing system. Defining it as minimal is problematic, as a writing system is an artificial product of culture rather than a consequence of a natural human faculty (as is the case of language). It is, in any case, the structural combinatory element within a writing system, and is defined on the base of its functional value (be it semantically or phonetically defined). See also writing system.