In linguistics (and phonetics), segment is used primarily “to refer to any discrete unit that can be identified, either physically or auditorily, in the stream of speech” (after A Dictionary of Linguistics & Phonetics, David Crystal, 2003, pp. 408–409). Linguistics is the scientific study of language. ... Phonetics (from the Greek word φωνή, phone meaning sound, voice) is the study of sounds and the human voice. ... Discrete mathematics, sometimes called finite mathematics, is the study of mathematical structures that are fundamentally discrete, in the sense of not supporting or requiring the notion of continuity. ...

In spoken languages, a segment may be a consonant, vowel, tone, or stress. It is not clear whether sign languages have equivalent segments. In articulatory phonetics, a consonant is a sound in spoken language that is characterized by a closure or stricture of the vocal tract sufficient to cause audible turbulence. ... Note: This page contains IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. ... It has been suggested that Tonal language be merged into this article or section. ... In linguistics, stress is the relative emphasis that may be given to certain syllables in a word. ... Sign language interpreter on stage A sign language (also signed language) is a language which uses manual communication instead of sound to convey meaning - simultaneously combining handshapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to express fluidly a speakers thoughts. ...

In phonetics, the smallest perceptible segment is a phone. Phonetics (from the Greek word φωνή, phone meaning sound, voice) is the study of sounds and the human voice. ... Look up phone in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In phonology, there is a subfield of segmental phonology. It deals with the analysis of speech into phonemes (or segmental phonemes), which correspond fairly well to phonetic segments of the analysed speech. Phonology (Greek phonē = voice/sound and logos = word/speech), is a subfield of linguistics which studies the sound system of a specific language (or languages). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

A word of caution, though, must be taken when analyzing the inventory of segmental units in any given language. Some segments may be simply marginal segments. This is the case with onomatopoeic words, or with loan words, where sounds exist only in a few specific words, but are not generally found throughout the entire language. In fact, onomatopoeic words and especially loan words are often the source of new segments being accepted into the general phonology of a language.

References

David Crystal, A Dictionary of Linguistics & Phonetics, Blackwell, 2003. Info at Google Print.

Carlos Gussenhoven & Haike Jacobs, "Understanding Phonology", Hodder & Arnold, 1998. 2nd edition 2005.

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