Double articulation refers to the two levels of language: morphemes and phonemes. Morphemes are meaningful units of sound, while phonemes are sounds with no inherent meaning. This concept can also be applied to other semiotic codes, such as visual arts and computer programming. The productivity of these two levels allows for an infinite number of expressions from a small set of sounds or symbols.
Double articulation is a linguistic term that refers to the two levels into which language can be divided. Meaningful units of sound, called morphemes, make up the first level, while the second level consists of phonemes, or sounds with no meaning per se. Furthermore, the term double articulation can also be applied to any semiotic code, or method of communication, which can be analyzed on two levels.
The first level of articulation in a language consists entirely of morphemes. Some morphemes are whole words, such as “dog” or “child,” while others are just a part. For example, the word “incredible” is made up of three morphemes: “un-“, “-believ-” and “-able”, each with a specific meaning. Morphemes like these make up the words and phrases people use to communicate.
Phonemes, which are simply meaningless sounds, make up the second level of articulation. A phoneme is not the same as a letter, although some phonemes can be spelled with one. Others use multiple letters, while some letters are used for different phonemes depending on their context. By themselves these sounds cannot communicate anything, but together they form the morphemes of the first level of articulation.
Very few phonemes are available in each language. In English, there are 40 to 50 distinct phonemes, while Spanish uses only 20 to 30. However, both languages have thousands of words, which can create an infinite number of expressions. This idea of two levels of articulation making possible an infinite number of utterances from a very small set of sounds is known as productivity.
The concept of double articulation and its productivity can be applied to any semiotic code that qualifies it. A semiotic code is simply a method of communication, which includes languages, signs and symbols; however, not all semiotic codes have a double articulation. Some scholars believe that the visual arts, architecture and cinema are doubly articulated. For example, in a painting, the first layer might be the shapes and the second layer the colors.
Likewise, many computer codes are double-jointed. At the second level of articulation, numbers, letters and symbols are combined to form words. Then, in the first level of articulation, those words are ordered into statements. This allows computer programmers to create a huge variety of programs from a very small number of symbols.
In linguistics, double articulation is also known as duality in speech to avoid confusion with doubly articulated consonant. A doubly articulated consonant is created by making sound in two places at the same time. The most common types are the labial-dorsal joints, such as the clicks common in West and Central Africa.
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