contrast (n.)

A term used in LINGUISTICS for a difference between units, especially one which serves to distinguish MEANINGS in a language (it is contrastive). Such differences are also referred to as DISTINCTIVE, FUNCTIONAL or significant. The principle of contrast (or contrastivity) is considered fundamental to linguistic analysis. It can be illustrated with reference to the notions of PHONEME (in particular), DISTINCTIVE FEATURE, MORPHEME, etc., which may all be defined as ‘minimally contrastive units’ at some LEVEL of analysis. Examples in PHONOLOGY are the contrast between English /p/ and /b/, or VOICED v. voiceless; in GRAMMAR, between INFLECTIONAL endings, or the various possibilities of WORD-ORDER. Many linguists use the term OPPOSITION in the same way, but in some approaches this term is given separate definition, referring only to the PARADIGMATIC differences between units (‘contrast’ being reserved for SYNTAGMATIC differences).