What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to investigate the relationship between markedness and antonymy in language.

September 1, 1985

Markedness and antonymy

Key Points

This research aims to investigate the relationship between markedness and antonymy in language.
Analysis of standard treatments of antonymy
Evaluation of semantic and syntactic properties associated with marked and unmarked terms
Presentation of approximately 20 illustrative examples
Demonstrates clear patterns in predications related to unmarked members of antonym pairs
Shows that certain syntactic properties align with the marked or unmarked status
Supports theoretical claims about the implications of markedness in language structures

Abstract

Standard treatments of antonymy regularly state that of a pair of antonyms, one member is marked while the other one is unmarked. Certain semantic and syntactic properties are predicated of the unmarked (or in some cases of the marked) member of the pair. A few examples are given, usually 20 or so, which bear out the predictions.

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