A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics David Crystal

280 lexotactics
are used to simplify the specification of lexical entries, e.g. by omitting to
specify sub-categorization features which may be predicted on the basis of
other features. Some generative models also recognize the so-called ‘lexicalist’
hypothesis, in which a class of lexical rules governing word-formation is distinguished
from the set of syntactic transformations. Essentially, the hypothesis
bans category-changing rules from the grammar – disallowing a verb or adjective
from being transformed into a noun, etc. The terms lexical syntax and lexical
phonology are also encountered in the generative literature: the former refers
to an approach which incorporates syntactic rules within the lexicon; the latter
is an approach where some of the phonological rules are transferred to
the lexicon, and integrated with the morphological component. In earlier
government-binding theory, N, V and A (but not P) were lexical categories,
as their members were proper governors. In later work, the lexical categories
are N, V, A and P, and C and I are non-lexical. See also ambiguity, cycle (2),
stress.
lexotactics (n.)
LF-convergence
see taxis
see convergence
liaison (n.) A term used in phonology to refer to one type of transition
between sounds, where a sound is introduced at the end of a word if the
following syllable has no onset. It is a notable feature of French, e.g. the final
t of c’est is pronounced when followed by a vowel. It may be heard in English
where a ‘linking /r/’ is often found in words ending with an r in the spelling,
when they occur before words beginning with a vowel, e.g. hear /h}v/ usually
becomes /h}vr/ in such phrases as here are.
licensed extrasyllabicity
see extrasyllabic
licensing (n.) In government-binding theory, a notion introduced in formulating
conditions on representation: every element in a well-formed structure
must be licensed in one of a small number of ways. For example, an element
that assigns semantic roles is licensed if it has recipients in appropriate
syntactic positions; a syntactically defined predicate is licensed if it has a
subject.
The term as used in autosegmental phonology applies to the analysis
of syllable structure. Prosodic licensing is a condition that all segments
must be part of a higher-level unit (the syllable), or else they are contingently
extrasyllabic. Autosegmental licensing presents the view that certain prosodic
units are licensers, which license a set of phonological features (autosegments).
The syllable node is a primary licenser; the coda node and certain word-final
morphemes are secondary licensers. A given licenser can license only one occurrence
of the autosegment in question. All autosegmental material must be licensed
at the word level; elements not licensed at this level will be deleted. The
notion of licensing has also been put to use in some other non-linear models of
phonology and in optimality theory.
light syllable
see weight