Markedness: The Evaluative Superstructure of LanguageBattistella traces the development of markedness theory as a central part of structuralist theories of language. He outlines the concepts of marked and unmarked from Prague School structuralism to present day applications in linguistic theory and cultural analysis, using the reference point of English grammar and sound structure. The author focuses on the fundamental asymmetry between terms of linguistic relationships, in which one term is more broadly defined and hence dominant (the unmarked term) while the other is more narrowly defined (the marked term). In addition to examining language-particular markedness relations evident in the structure and history of English, Battistella raises questions concerning universal asymmetries as well. He discusses the status of markedness as a unifying concept of linguistic structure and as a principle of language change. |
Contents
Prolegomenon to a Theory of Markedness | 1 |
On Markedness | 23 |
Markedness Principles and the Values of Grammatical Categories | 69 |
Phonology Morphology and Morphophonemics | 117 |
Markedness and Language Change | 151 |
Retrospective and Prospectus | 183 |
Notes | 201 |
Bibliography | 233 |
Name Index | 255 |
| 259 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
allomorph analysis animacy clauses clusters coda compact complementarity complexity concept consider consonantal consonants correlation criteria cross-linguistic cultural defined determined discussion distribution English evaluation example expression and meaning feature values formal marking fricatives function genitive grave Greenberg hierarchy iconic indicates Jakobson Joseph Greenberg Kaguru language language-particular lexical linguistic main verb marked and unmarked marked categories marked element marked term markedness assimilation markedness relations markedness reversal markedness theory markedness values Mayerthaler Middle English morphological nasal ness neutralization Nikolai Trubetzkoy nominative noun phrases obstruent obstruent consonants opposition past tense patterns perfect aspect person phonemes phonological features phonological markedness phonotactic plural Prague School present tense principle pronouns properties prototypical refer Roman Jakobson Russian segments semantic markedness semiotic singular sound stem stops structure subjunctive suggested syncretization syntactic syntax tion Trubetzkoy Universal Grammar unmarked feature unmarked term unmarked value unmarkedness velar verbal versus vocalic voiced voiceless vowels word order zero