markedness constraint

English

Etymology

markedness +‎ constraint

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈmɑrkədnəs kənˈstɹeɪnt/

Noun

markedness constraint (plural markedness constraints)

1. (phonology) In Optimality Theory, universal features that languages prefer to keep unviolated.

   Coordinate term: faithfulness constraint

   the lack of codas is a markedness constraint that English violates, but Samoan keeps intact all the time.