Which of the following best defines phonology?

Phonology is best defined as the study of speech sound patterns and their influence. This field focuses on how sounds function and how they are organized within a particular language. Phonology examines the rules that govern sound combinations, the relationships between sounds, and the abstract mental representations that speakers hold about these sounds.

Understanding phonological rules allows researchers and linguists to analyze how sounds interact, how they may change in different contexts, and how they contribute to meaning in communication. This approach highlights the systematic patterns that underlie spoken language, distinguishing phonology from related fields like phonetics, which deals with the physical production of sounds, and morphology, which studies the structure of words.

The other choices do not capture the broader conceptual framework of phonology. While the production of individual speech sounds pertains to phonetics, cognitive understanding of language rules relates more closely to grammar and syntax than to phonology specifically. Therefore, the focus on sound patterns and their systemic nature is what characterizes phonology accurately.