Phonetics and phonology: gradience, categoriality, and naturalness

In this paper, we explore the relationship between phonetics and phonology, in an attempt to broaden the search for possible sources of complexity that arise in sound patterns and sound systems. We propose that complexity may be better understood if one considers phonetics and phonology together in their multi-faceted interaction. Our goal here is to present an overview of the relevant issues in order to help define a notion (or notions) of complexity in the domain of sound systems. Rather than proposing specific measures of complexity, we provide a backdrop to a constructive discussion of the nature of complexity in sound systems. We begin in §2 by reviewing different notions that have been interpreted as being related to the issue of phonological complexity. Major historical landmarks of complexity in phonetics and phonology are discussed in Pellegrino et al.’s introduction to this volume. From our perspective we organize these earlier endeavors into concerns with: (i) markedness, (ii) effort, (iii) naturalness, (iv) information content. We take the time to review them here because they are directly relevant to the relationship between phonetics and phonology and the nature of representations. In §3 we turn to the details of the relationship between phonology and phonetics. In this regard, we address two main questions that have traditionally played a central part in the understanding of the phoneticsphonology interface. The first of these is the issue of gradience vs. categoriality in the domain of linguistic sound systems, and its implications for the question of an adequate representation of linguistic units.