locality (n.)

A term used in PHONOLOGY, especially in some NON-LINEAR models, to refer to the domain of application of a RULE. In one formulation, the locality condition states that phonological rules apply between elements ADJACENT on a given TIER. Non-linear phonology is especially interested in locality because its ability to handle non-adjacent SEGMENTS (as in vowel HARMONY) is one of its chief claims. Non-linear principles enable long-distance rules to operate between segments which are adjacent at a particular level of REPRESENTATION, even though the segments are not adjacent at all levels. Locality theory develops this approach into a general theory of phonological adjacency requirements. It is defined by a universal locality condition, which requires elements to be local within a PLANE (the ‘adjacency parameter’, which then allows rules to impose further CONSTRAINTS on the maximal distance between interacting segments) and by a principle of transplanar locality (which bans certain types of relations across featural planes).

In GENERATIVE SYNTAX, a term used to refer to a set of syntactic principles that CONSTRAIN DERIVATIONS or REPRESENTATIONS in some local way. For example, when a CATEGORY moves, it can move only within a certain DOMAIN (as in SUBJACENCY). ANAPHORS must appear in close proximity to their ANTECEDENTS.