MORPHOLOGY

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The study of forms and structures. Originally employed in biology it was later (by 1869) employed in philology to refer to patterns of inflection and word formation.

Applied to SOUNDSCAPE studies, it refers to changes in groups of sounds with similar forms or functions when considered historically or geographically.

Examples of acoustic morphology might be a study of the historical evolution of foghorns (see DISAPPEARING SOUND for sound example), or a geographical comparison of methods of telegraphy (e.g. Alp horns, jungle drums).

Compare: TYPOLOGY. See also: SOUND EVENT, SOUND OBJECT, SOUND SIGNAL.

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