Linguistic Status of Markedness and Its Defining Criteria

The article first addresses the theoretical prerequisites, and then conceptualizes markedness itself by exhibiting different linguistic concepts of markedness, finally, it elucidates the divergent criteria to define markedness, which produces a valid, feasible basis and theoretical rationale for the further study. To elaborate, it presents traditional view of markedness in terms of complexity principle and contextual neutralization as exemplified by phonemic variants, paradigmatic morphemes, semantic and pragmatic oppositions. Generative view of markedness has been demonstrated in typological, psycholinguistic and cognitive details. Besides, great efforts have been exerted to fully illustrate the defining criteria of markedness with top priority to generative and functionalistic interpretations.