Feature (linguistics)
Encyclopedia
A feature is a concept applied to several fields of linguistics
, typically involving the assignment of binary or unary
conditions which act as constraints.
, segment
s are categorized into natural class
es on the basis of their distinctive feature
s. Each feature describes a quality or characteristic of the natural class, such as voice or manner
. A unique combination of features defines a phoneme
.
Examples of phonemic or distinctive features are: [+/- voice ], [+/- ATR
] (binary features) and [ CORONAL
] (a unary feature; also a place
feature).
Surface representations can be expressed as the result of rules acting on the features of the underlying representation
. These rules are formulated in terms of transformations on features.
and syntax
, words are often organized into lexical categories
or word classes, such as "noun", "verb", "adjective", and so on. These word classes have grammatical features (also called categories or inflectional categories), which can have one of a set of potential values (also called the property, meaning, or feature of the category).
For example, consider the pronoun
in English. Pronouns are a lexical category. Pronouns have the person
feature, which can have a value of "first", "second", or "third". English pronouns also have the number
feature, which can have a value of either "singular" or "plural". As a result, we can describe the English pronoun "they" as a pronoun with [person:3] and [number:plural].
, words are categorized into semantic class
es. Intersecting semantic classes share the same semantic feature
s.
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
, typically involving the assignment of binary or unary
Unary
* Unary numeral system, the simplest numeral system to represent natural numbers* Unary operation, a kind of mathematical operator that has only one operand* Unary coding, an entropy encoding that represents a number n with n − 1 ones followed by a zero...
conditions which act as constraints.
In phonology
In phonologyPhonology
Phonology is, broadly speaking, the subdiscipline of linguistics concerned with the sounds of language. That is, it is the systematic use of sound to encode meaning in any spoken human language, or the field of linguistics studying this use...
, segment
Segment (linguistics)
In linguistics , the term segment may be defined as "any discrete unit that can be identified, either physically or auditorily, in the stream of speech."- Classifying speech units :...
s are categorized into natural class
Natural class
In phonology, a natural class is a set of sounds in a language that share certain phonetic features. The sound system of every language includes several natural classes, each distinguished from other classes by certain features. A given natural class is described using the minimum number of...
es on the basis of their distinctive feature
Distinctive feature
In linguistics, a distinctive feature is the most basic unit of phonological structure that may be analyzed in phonological theory.Distinctive features are grouped into categories according to the natural classes of segments they describe: major class features, laryngeal features, manner features,...
s. Each feature describes a quality or characteristic of the natural class, such as voice or manner
Manner of articulation
In linguistics, manner of articulation describes how the tongue, lips, jaw, and other speech organs are involved in making a sound. Often the concept is only used for the production of consonants, even though the movement of the articulars will also greatly alter the resonant properties of the...
. A unique combination of features defines a phoneme
Phoneme
In a language or dialect, a phoneme is the smallest segmental unit of sound employed to form meaningful contrasts between utterances....
.
Examples of phonemic or distinctive features are: [+/- voice ], [+/- ATR
Advanced tongue root
In phonetics, advanced tongue root and retracted tongue root, abbreviated ATR or RTR, are contrasting states of the root of the tongue during the pronunciation of vowels in some languages, especially in West Africa, but also in Kazakh and Mongolian...
] (binary features) and [ CORONAL
Coronal consonant
Coronal consonants are consonants articulated with the flexible front part of the tongue. Only the coronal consonants can be divided into apical , laminal , domed , or subapical , as well as a few rarer orientations, because only the front of the tongue has such...
] (a unary feature; also a place
Place of articulation
In articulatory phonetics, the place of articulation of a consonant is the point of contact where an obstruction occurs in the vocal tract between an articulatory gesture, an active articulator , and a passive location...
feature).
Surface representations can be expressed as the result of rules acting on the features of the underlying representation
Underlying representation
In some models of phonology as well as morphophonology, the underlying representation or underlying form of a word or morpheme is the abstract form the word or morpheme is postulated to have before any phonological rules have applied to it. If more rules apply to the same form, they can apply...
. These rules are formulated in terms of transformations on features.
In morphology
In morphologyMorphology (linguistics)
In linguistics, morphology is the identification, analysis and description, in a language, of the structure of morphemes and other linguistic units, such as words, affixes, parts of speech, intonation/stress, or implied context...
and syntax
Syntax
In linguistics, syntax is the study of the principles and rules for constructing phrases and sentences in natural languages....
, words are often organized into lexical categories
Lexical category
In grammar, a part of speech is a linguistic category of words , which is generally defined by the syntactic or morphological behaviour of the lexical item in question. Common linguistic categories include noun and verb, among others...
or word classes, such as "noun", "verb", "adjective", and so on. These word classes have grammatical features (also called categories or inflectional categories), which can have one of a set of potential values (also called the property, meaning, or feature of the category).
For example, consider the pronoun
Pronoun
In linguistics and grammar, a pronoun is a pro-form that substitutes for a noun , such as, in English, the words it and he...
in English. Pronouns are a lexical category. Pronouns have the person
Grammatical person
Grammatical person, in linguistics, is deictic reference to a participant in an event; such as the speaker, the addressee, or others. Grammatical person typically defines a language's set of personal pronouns...
feature, which can have a value of "first", "second", or "third". English pronouns also have the number
Grammatical number
In linguistics, grammatical number is a grammatical category of nouns, pronouns, and adjective and verb agreement that expresses count distinctions ....
feature, which can have a value of either "singular" or "plural". As a result, we can describe the English pronoun "they" as a pronoun with [person:3] and [number:plural].
In semantics
In semanticsSemantics
Semantics is the study of meaning. It focuses on the relation between signifiers, such as words, phrases, signs and symbols, and what they stand for, their denotata....
, words are categorized into semantic class
Semantic class
A semantic class contains words that share a semantic property. Semantic classes may intersect. The intersection of female and young can be girl.See also: Semantic feature, Categorization, semantic field...
es. Intersecting semantic classes share the same semantic feature
Semantic feature
A semantic feature is a notational method which can be used to express the existence or non-existence of pre-established semantic properties by using plus and minus signs.Man is [+HUMAN], [+MALE], [+ADULT]Woman is [+HUMAN], [-MALE], [+ADULT]...
s.