Feature - Revision history

LaurenAckerman at 19:54, 24 July 2010

2010-07-24T19:54:32Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:54, 24 July 2010
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	===Features in Phonology===		===Features in Phonology===
	In phonology, a feature can be regarded as a property of a [[sound segment]]. Segments can be considered to be composed of more elementary characteristics, i.e. a finite set of features with (preferably) a phonetic correlate.		In phonology, a feature can be regarded as a property of a [[segment\|sound segment]]. Segments can be considered to be composed of more elementary characteristics, i.e. a finite set of features with (preferably) a phonetic correlate.

	[[Distinctive feature]]s are used to explain that phonological rules apply to natural classes of sounds, i.e. sounds which share certain (phonetic) properties. Features were introduced into phonological theory by Trubetzkoy and Jacobson ('the [[Prague School]]'); Chomsky & Halle (1968) (SPE, ''The Sound Pattern of English'') proposed a major revision of the theory of [[distinctive ~~feature]]s~~. In SPE features are considered to be binary, i.e. a feature has two values + (present) or - (absent). For instance, [p] is (among other things) [ -[[voiced]]] and [ -[[nasal]]] while [m] is [ +[[voiced]]] and [ +[[nasal]]]. After SPE different feature inventories have been proposed.		[[Distinctive feature]]s are used to explain that phonological rules apply to natural classes of sounds, i.e. sounds which share certain (phonetic) properties. Features were introduced into phonological theory by Trubetzkoy and Jacobson ('the [[Prague School]]'); Chomsky & Halle (1968) (SPE, ''The Sound Pattern of English'') proposed a major revision of the theory of distinctive features. In SPE features are considered to be binary, i.e. a feature has two values + (present) or - (absent). For instance, [p] is (among other things) [ -[[voiced]]] and [ -[[nasal]]] while [m] is [ +[[voiced]]] and [ +[[nasal]]]. After SPE different feature inventories have been proposed.

	Some features have been replaced with structure (for instance <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[stress]]] and <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[syllabic]]]). Furthermore, the binarity of features is under debate: multi-valued features and single-valued or unary features have been proposed. The development of feature geometry (cf. Clements 1985), in which natural classes are represented by hierarchical structure as well as by features themselves has been a major revision of the theory proposed by Chomsky & Halle (1968). For a detailed summary of various segmental features and their current status, see Keating (1988) and references cited there.		Some features have been replaced with structure (for instance <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[stress]]] and <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[syllabic]]]). Furthermore, the binarity of features is under debate: multi-valued features and single-valued or unary features have been proposed. The development of feature geometry (cf. Clements 1985), in which natural classes are represented by hierarchical structure as well as by features themselves has been a major revision of the theory proposed by Chomsky & Halle (1968). For a detailed summary of various segmental features and their current status, see Keating (1988) and references cited there.

Volker gast at 11:51, 3 June 2009

2009-06-03T11:51:39Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:51, 3 June 2009
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	'''~~Feature~~''' is a ~~property~~ of a [[~~sound segment~~]]. ~~Segments~~ can be ~~considered~~ to ~~be composed of more elementary characteristics,~~ i.e. ~~a finite set~~ of ~~features with (preferably~~) ~~a phonetic correlate~~.		In contemporary linguistics, the term '''feature''' is used in several ways. Two main uses can be distinguished:
			# The term '''feature''' is sometimes used for a specific dimension of classification along which a given linguistic item is categorized. The specification of this dimension is then called a [[value]]. For example, the English noun ''bread'' carries the value '+' for the feature [countability].
			# More generally, the term '''feature''' is also used as an equivalent of 'property', esp. when used for the classification of linguistic items. For example, the English phoneme /d/ can be said to have the feature [voiced] (i.e. the property of being voiced).

	~~Distinctive features are used to explain that phonological rules apply to natural classes of sounds, i.e. sounds which share certain (phonetic) properties.~~ Features ~~are introduced~~ in ~~phonological theory by Trubetzkoy and Jacobson ('the~~ [[~~Prague School~~]]~~'); Chomsky & Halle (1968) (SPE) proposed a major revision of the theory of distinctive features~~. ~~In SPE, features are~~ considered to be ~~binary~~, i.e. a ~~feature has two values +~~ (~~present~~) ~~or - (absent). For instance, [p] is (among other things) [ -[[voiced]]] and [ -[[nasal]]] while [m] is [+voiced] and [+nasal]. After SPE different feature inventories have been proposed~~.		===Features in Phonology===
			In phonology, a feature can be regarded as a property of a [[sound segment]]. Segments can be considered to be composed of more elementary characteristics, i.e. a finite set of features with (preferably) a phonetic correlate.

	~~Some features have been replaced with structure (for instance <nowiki>~~[~~</nowiki>~~[~~[stress]~~]] and ~~<nowiki>[</nowiki>~~[[~~syllabic]~~]])~~. Furthermore~~, ~~the binarity of features is under debate: multi-valued features and single-valued or unary features have been proposed.~~ The ~~development~~ of ~~feature geometry (cf. Clements 1985~~)~~, in which natural classes are represented by hierarchical structure as well as by features themselves has been~~ a major revision of the theory ~~proposed by Chomsky & Halle~~ (~~1968~~). For ~~a detailed summary of various segmental features and their current status~~, ~~see Keating~~ (~~1988~~) and ~~references cited there~~. ~~<br />~~		[[Distinctive feature]]s are used to explain that phonological rules apply to natural classes of sounds, i.e. sounds which share certain (phonetic) properties. Features were introduced into phonological theory by Trubetzkoy and Jacobson ('the [[Prague School]]'); Chomsky & Halle (1968) (SPE, ''The Sound Pattern of English'') proposed a major revision of the theory of [[distinctive feature]]s. In SPE features are considered to be binary, i.e. a feature has two values + (present) or - (absent). For instance, [p] is (among other things) [ -[[voiced]]] and [ -[[nasal]]] while [m] is [ +[[voiced]]] and [ +[[nasal]]]. After SPE different feature inventories have been proposed.

	~~=== Syntax ===~~		Some features have been replaced with structure (for instance <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[stress]]] and <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[syllabic]]]). Furthermore, the binarity of features is under debate: multi-valued features and single-valued or unary features have been proposed. The development of feature geometry (cf. Clements 1985), in which natural classes are represented by hierarchical structure as well as by features themselves has been a major revision of the theory proposed by Chomsky & Halle (1968). For a detailed summary of various segmental features and their current status, see Keating (1988) and references cited there.

	~~the~~ syntactic features encompass lexical and grammatical features. The lexical features ~~Â±N~~ and ~~Â±V~~ define the four lexical categories (N=[+N,-V]; V=[-N,+V]; A=[+N,+V]; P=[-N,-V]~~). See~~ [[X-bar theory]]. Among the grammatical features we find features for person, number and gender (Phi-features); the verbal features ~~Â±past~~, ~~Â±tense~~; and the binding features ~~Â±anaphoric~~ and ~~Â±pronominal~~ introduced in Chomsky (1981).		===Features in Syntax===
			The syntactic features encompass lexical and grammatical features. The lexical features '±' and '±' define the four lexical categories (N=[+N,-V]; V=[-N,+V]; A=[+N,+V]; P=[-N,-V]; see also [[X-bar theory]]). Among the grammatical features we find features for person, number and gender (so-called 'Phi-features'); the verbal features [±past], [±tense]; and the binding features [±anaphoric] and [±pronominal] introduced in Chomsky (1981).

			===Features in Lexical Semantics===
			In lexical (esp. [[decompositional]]) semantics, features stand for meaning components of (semantically non-primitive) lexical concepts. They can also be regarded as indicating category membership. For example, the Engl. noun 'boy' can be decomposed into the features [+ male] and [- adult]. Alternatively, we can say that it is contained in both the category corresponding to the feature [+ male] (i.e. the category of male entities) and the category of [- adult] (non-adult) entities.

	=== Link ===		=== Link ===

	[http://www2.let.uu.nl/UiL-OTS/Lexicon/zoek.pl?lemma=Feature&lemmacode=740 Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics]		[http://www2.let.uu.nl/UiL-OTS/Lexicon/zoek.pl?lemma=Feature&lemmacode=740 Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics]

	=== References ===		=== References ===

	* Chomsky, N. 1981. ''Lectures on Government and Binding,'' Foris, Dordrecht.		* Chomsky, N. 1981. ''Lectures on Government and Binding,'' Foris, Dordrecht.
	* Chomsky, N. and M. Halle 1968. ''The Sound Pattern of English,'' Harper and Row, New York.		* Chomsky, N. and M. Halle 1968. ''The Sound Pattern of English,'' Harper and Row, New York.
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	* Jacobson, Fant & Halle 1963. ''Preliminaries to speech analysis,'' MIT Press, Cambridge MA.		* Jacobson, Fant & Halle 1963. ''Preliminaries to speech analysis,'' MIT Press, Cambridge MA.
	* Kerstens,J.G. 1993. ''The Syntax of Number, Person and Gender; A Theory of Phi-features,'' Linguistic Models 18, Mouton de Gruyter:Berlin/New York.		* Kerstens,J.G. 1993. ''The Syntax of Number, Person and Gender; A Theory of Phi-features,'' Linguistic Models 18, Mouton de Gruyter:Berlin/New York.
			* Löbner, S. 2003. ''Understanding Semantics''. London: Arnold.
	* Muysken & Van Riemsdijk 1986. ''Features and projections,'' Foris, Dordrecht.		* Muysken & Van Riemsdijk 1986. ''Features and projections,'' Foris, Dordrecht.
	* Sagey, E.L. 1986. ''The Representation of Features and Relations in Nonlinear Phonology,'' PhD diss. MIT, Cambridge, Mass.		* Sagey, E.L. 1986. ''The Representation of Features and Relations in Nonlinear Phonology,'' PhD diss. MIT, Cambridge, Mass.

Wohlgemuth: utrecht

2009-02-13T20:44:54Z

utrecht

New page

'''Feature''' is a property of a [[sound segment]]. Segments can be considered to be composed of more elementary characteristics, i.e. a finite set of features with (preferably) a phonetic correlate.

Distinctive features are used to explain that phonological rules apply to natural classes of sounds, i.e. sounds which share certain (phonetic) properties. Features are introduced in phonological theory by Trubetzkoy and Jacobson ('the [[Prague School]]'); Chomsky & Halle (1968) (SPE) proposed a major revision of the theory of distinctive features. In SPE, features are considered to be binary, i.e. a feature has two values + (present) or - (absent). For instance, [p] is (among other things) [ -[[voiced]]] and [ -[[nasal]]] while [m] is [+voiced] and [+nasal]. After SPE different feature inventories have been proposed.

Some features have been replaced with structure (for instance <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[stress]]] and <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[syllabic]]]). Furthermore, the binarity of features is under debate: multi-valued features and single-valued or unary features have been proposed. The development of feature geometry (cf. Clements 1985), in which natural classes are represented by hierarchical structure as well as by features themselves has been a major revision of the theory proposed by Chomsky & Halle (1968). For a detailed summary of various segmental features and their current status, see Keating (1988) and references cited there. <br />

=== Syntax ===

the syntactic features encompass lexical and grammatical features. The lexical features Â±N and Â±V define the four lexical categories (N=[+N,-V]; V=[-N,+V]; A=[+N,+V]; P=[-N,-V]). See [[X-bar theory]]. Among the grammatical features we find features for person, number and gender (Phi-features); the verbal features Â±past, Â±tense; and the binding features Â±anaphoric and Â±pronominal introduced in Chomsky (1981).

=== Link ===

[http://www2.let.uu.nl/UiL-OTS/Lexicon/zoek.pl?lemma=Feature&lemmacode=740 Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics]

=== References ===

* Chomsky, N. 1981. ''Lectures on Government and Binding,'' Foris, Dordrecht.
* Chomsky, N. and M. Halle 1968. ''The Sound Pattern of English,'' Harper and Row, New York.
* Clements,G.N. 1985. ''The geometry of phonological features,,'' Phonolgical Yearbook 2,, 225-252
* Jacobson, Fant & Halle 1963. ''Preliminaries to speech analysis,'' MIT Press, Cambridge MA.
* Kerstens,J.G. 1993. ''The Syntax of Number, Person and Gender; A Theory of Phi-features,'' Linguistic Models 18, Mouton de Gruyter:Berlin/New York.
* Muysken & Van Riemsdijk 1986. ''Features and projections,'' Foris, Dordrecht.
* Sagey, E.L. 1986. ''The Representation of Features and Relations in Nonlinear Phonology,'' PhD diss. MIT, Cambridge, Mass.

{{dc}}
[[Category:Phonology]]
[[Category:Syntax]]