The theory of markedness in generative grammar

the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The theory of markedness is a theory of the distinctive features which characterize the segments of languages at all levels of phonological representation. Following Jakobson, it is assumed that there is a relatively small set of features with binary specifications which are sufficient for the representation of the segments of all languages. It is further held that the same class of seg-mental representations which are required for the character-ization of 'surface ' phonological representations is the class which is required for the characterization of under-lying representations. There is no segmental representation which is found only at the surface. A set of universal rules is postulated which characterize the 'optimal ' (mos