What does the term 'morphophonology' combine in its meaning?

The term 'morphophonology' specifically refers to the interaction between morphological structure and phonological forms. Morphology deals with the structure of words, including the rules for combining morphemes (the smallest units of meaning), while phonology focuses on the sounds of speech. By combining these two disciplines, morphophonology studies how the structure of a word can affect its phonological representation and how sounds may change based on morphological contexts. This interplay is crucial for understanding variations in pronunciation and word formation across different languages and within the same language.

The other options do not accurately capture the essence of what morphophonology involves. While sound and meaning may relate in some linguistic studies, the focus of morphophonology is specifically on how the structure of words affects their sound patterns, rather than direct meaning or syntax alone.