monosystemicadj.
/ˌmɒnə(ʊ)sᵻˈstiːmɪk/, /ˌmɒnə(ʊ)sᵻˈstɛmɪk/, U.S. /ˈˌmɑnəsəˈstɛmɪk/ Linguistics.
Of a form of linguistic analysis: predicated on the establishment of a single overall system (as, for example, a single system of sound differences independent of context).Used chiefly of structuralist analysis, esp. in contrast to the polysystemic approach advocated by J. R. Firth (see polysystemic adj.). Cf. prosodic analysis n. at prosodic adj. Compounds.
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the mind > language > linguistics > [adjective] > using one or more than one system
monosystemic1948
polysystemic1949
1948 J. R. Firth in E. P. Hamp et al. Readings in Linguistics (1966) II. 175 Most phoneticians..have continued to elaborate the analysis of words... Such studies I should describe as paradigmatic and monosystemic in principle.
1951 Archivum Linguisticum 3 130 The structural method still tends to concern itself with units evolved by a monosystemic analysis at the word-level.
1958 J. Berry in E. Sivertsen Proc. 8th Internat. Congr. Linguists 755 The initial consonant in the Kikuyu word for ‘book’..in terms of a monosystemic analysis at any rate is a phoneme contrasting with other (‘original’) b-sounds..but relatively rare.
1964 R. H. Robins Gen. Linguistics iv. 158 In this sense phonemic analysis is monosystemic.
1984 R. Lass Phonol. 164 This leads to a theoretical view of languages as at least potentially polysystemic, not monosystemic as in most classical phonological analysis.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1948