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Coding Episode Boundaries with Marked Structures: A Cross-Linguistic Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2016

Ming-Ming Pu  and
Gary D. Prideaux
Ming-Ming Pu
Affiliation:
Northern State University
Gary D. Prideaux
Affiliation:
University of Alberta
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Extract

The notion of markedness has played an important role in linguistic theorizing for decades. Originating in Prague School phonological theory, it has also found an important place in morphology, syntax, and semantics (Andersen 1989). In general terms, markedness theory claims that when alternative forms are available, such as alternative construction types or paraphrases, one member of the set, the unmarked member, is more prototypical, is more frequent, has a wider distribution, etc. Within the psycholinguistic literature, it has been argued that the unmarked member of a set will typically be both cognitively and structurally less complex, and hence easier to process than its marked counterpart, a factor which also suggests that, all things being equal, the unmarked member should be acquired earlier than the marked member (e.g., Slobin 1973).

Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Linguistics/Revue canadienne de linguistique , Volume 39 , Issue 4 , December 1994 , pp. 283 - 296
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Linguistic Association 1994

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