manifestation (n.)

A term used by some linguists to refer to the physical expression of an abstract LINGUISTIC UNIT; e.g. PHONEMES are manifested in PHONIC SUBSTANCE as PHONES, MORPHEMES as morphs. Any UNDERLYING FORM may be seen as having a corresponding manifestation in substance. In TAGMEMICS, the term has a special status, referring to the ETIC (physical) expression of EMIC (abstract) units (the manifestation mode). Elsewhere, the term REALIZATION is widely used.