underlying form
Abstract linguistic representation
In linguistics, an underlying form is the abstract mental representation of a word or morpheme before pronunciation rules apply.
It captures what speakers "know" about a sound pattern beneath surface variations.
The underlying form of English plural, for instance, is a single element that surfaces as different sounds depending on the preceding consonant: cats versus dogs versus horses.
Smallest meaningful language unit
- baseSupporting bottom structure
- rootUnderground absorbing structure
- stemPlant's central axis
- lexemeFundamental dictionary unit
affix · prefix · suffix · infix · derivation · inflection · paradigm · declension
Minimal distinctive sound unit
- allophoneNon-distinctive sound variation
- neutralizationCanceling opposing forces
- assimilationAbsorbing into a whole
- distinctive featureIdentifying quality or trait
syllable structure · prosody · elision · metathesis · sonority
Thorough change in form
Sentence's non-subject portion
- thematic roleSemantic participant category
- compositionalRelating to structure arrangement
- denotationWord's explicit dictionary meaning
- extensionAdded part or duration
scope · quantification · presupposition · entailment · inference
morpheme
Smallest meaningful language unit
lexeme · affix · prefix · suffix · infix · derivation · inflection · paradigm · declension · conjugation
phoneme
Minimal distinctive sound unit
- allophoneNon-distinctive sound variation
- neutralizationCanceling opposing forces
- assimilationAbsorbing into a whole
distinctive feature · syllable structure · prosody · elision · metathesis · sonority
transformation
Thorough change in form
merge · derivation · minimalist · government · binding
predicate
Sentence's non-subject portion
- thematic roleSemantic participant category
- compositionalRelating to structure arrangement
- denotationWord's explicit dictionary meaning
extension · scope · quantification · presupposition · entailment · inference
- phoneticsphonemes, phoneme, vocal folds, consonants, vowels
- phonologyphonemes, phoneme, consonants, vowels, allophone
- sound changesassimilation, elision, deletion, voicing, nasalization