Here's a breakdown:
Unmarked features:
* More common: They are found in a greater number of languages and are often considered more basic or "natural."
* Simpler: They usually involve fewer articulatory movements or features.
* More frequent: They often occur more frequently within a language.
* Learned earlier: Children typically acquire unmarked features before marked features.
Marked features:
* Less common: They are found in fewer languages.
* More complex: They involve more articulatory effort or unusual combinations of features.
* Less frequent: They occur less often within a language.
* Learned later: Children acquire marked features later than unmarked features.
Examples:
* Place of articulation:
* Unmarked: Alveolar consonants (e.g., /t/, /d/, /n/) are unmarked because they are found in a wider range of languages and are easier to produce.
* Marked: Palatal consonants (e.g., /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /j/) are marked because they are less common and require more complex tongue positioning.
* Manner of articulation:
* Unmarked: Stops (e.g., /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/) are unmarked because they are simpler to produce.
* Marked: Fricatives (e.g., /f/, /v/, /θ/, /ð/) are marked because they involve a continuous airflow with friction.
* Vowel height:
* Unmarked: Mid vowels (e.g., /e/, /o/) are unmarked because they are found in a wider range of languages and are easier to produce.
* Marked: High vowels (e.g., /i/, /u/) are marked because they require a higher tongue position and are less common in languages.
Why is this distinction important?
Understanding markedness can help linguists:
* Explain language universals: Why certain features are more common across languages than others.
* Predict language change: Marked features are more likely to be lost or simplified over time.
* Analyze language acquisition: Marked features are more difficult for children to acquire.
* Develop language teaching materials: It helps prioritize the teaching of unmarked features, which are foundational for language learning.
It's important to note that the distinction between marked and unmarked features is not absolute. Sometimes, the same feature can be considered marked or unmarked depending on the context or the particular language being examined.