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U

Ultrasound

High-frequency vibration above the upper frequency limit of normal human hearing.


Umlaut

Change in a vowel by which a back vowel becomes fronted when followed by another front vowel, e.g. tur - türchen 'door' in German or foot - feet (Engl. > earlier footiz) (cf. ablaut, vowel harmony).


Unary

See privative.


Underextension

Term that refers to the use of a word to refer to only a subset of its actual referents. For example, a child might underextend the word dog by using it to refer to more typical examples of the species such as golden or Labrador retrievers, but not to varieties like Chihuahua or Pekingese. Contrast overextension.


Underlying

Pertaining to the initial state in a phonological derivation; the phonological facts holding of a word or morpheme before phonological rules cause changes.


Underspecification

In phonology, the theory that segments, in underlying representation, are not necessarily specified for all values of all distinctive features.


Universal Grammar

The innate part of speakers’ grammatical knowledge.


Unmarked

The more neutral case of two or more. For example, the active voice is unmarked with respect to the passive in most languages. Contrasts with marked. See also markedness.


Unrounded

Of a vowel, produced without rounding of the lips. [i] and [a] are vowels examples of unrounded vowels.


Upper-mid

See mid.



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