Final answer:
Phonemics or phonology is the branch of linguistics that deals with the sounds of speech and their function in a particular language, including how sound variations or allophones can differentiate meanings in words.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for the branch of linguistics that deals with allophones and the distinctions in sound that can result in differences in meaning is known as phonemics or phonology. Allophones are the variations of a single phoneme; they do not change the meaning of a word when altered but can contribute to accents and dialects. Phonology, on the other hand, considers the function of sounds within a particular language and how certain sound variations can lead to a change in meaning, thereby distinguishing one word from another. This difference is consequential in understanding how different languages use sound to form meaningful words and communication constructs.
The study of these sounds includes looking at the way language varies across cultures, reflecting different environmental, historical, and sociocultural conditions, an idea often referred to as linguistic relativity. Linguistic anthropologists and sociolinguists may examine the roles, impacts, and developments of these sounds and linguistic features within different societies, exploring themes like mutual intelligibility, dialects, and the social context of language use.