What are graphemes in linguistics?

Graphemes are the smallest units of written language that correspond to a phoneme, which is a sound in speech. They can be individual letters, like 'a' or 'b', or combinations of letters that create distinct sounds, such as 'sh' or 'th'. The correct answer highlights that graphemes are illustrative series of letters that represent these sounds in written form, thereby linking the visual representation of language to its phonetic components.

The other concepts presented in the incorrect options relate to different aspects of linguistics. The first choice discusses sounds, which pertains to phonetics rather than the written aspect of language. The second option references morphemes, which are the smallest meaningful units in a language and are distinct from graphemes. The last choice deals with grammar, focusing on the rules for sentence structure rather than the fundamental units of writing. Understanding these differences reinforces the specific role that graphemes play in the study of language.