Smallest Meaningful Language Unit: Morpheme

The question asks to identify the smallest component of language that possesses meaning.

• Morpheme: This is the smallest meaningful linguistic unit. It cannot be broken down into smaller meaningful parts. Examples include prefixes like "un-", suffixes like "-ly", and root words like "cat". Each carries a specific meaning or grammatical function.
• Phoneme: This is the smallest unit of *sound* in a language. Phonemes distinguish words but do not inherently carry meaning themselves (e.g., the /p/ sound vs. the /b/ sound differentiate "pat" and "bat").
• Syntax: This refers to the rules governing sentence structure and word order in a language. It's about grammar, not the smallest meaningful unit.
• Semantics: This is the branch of linguistics concerned with *meaning* in language, including words, sentences, and context. It's the study of meaning, not the smallest unit itself.

Based on these definitions, the morpheme is the smallest language unit that carries meaning.

Answer Determination

Comparing the options with the definition of the "smallest language unit that has meaning":

• Option A (Morphene): Correct. It fits the definition precisely.
• Option B (Phoneme): Incorrect. It's the smallest sound unit, not the smallest meaningful unit.
• Option C (Syntax): Incorrect. It deals with sentence structure rules.
• Option D (Semantics): Incorrect. It's the study of meaning, not the unit itself.

Therefore, the morpheme is the correct answer.