PHONEME THEORY AND CONCEPTS OF THE LONDON PHONOLOGICAL SCHOOL

Abstract

This article explores the theory of the phoneme, with a particular focus on the contributions made by the London Phonological School. The London School, which emerged in the early 20th century, emphasized distinctive features as the core unit of phonology, providing an alternative approach to the classical structuralist view of phonemes. This paper examines the foundations of the phoneme theory, the key concepts introduced by the London Phonological School, and the influence these ideas had on the development of phonology in linguistic studies.