alpha notation

A TRANSCRIPTIONAL convention in GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS which makes it possible to simplify the statement of a RULE by introducing a variable. In generative PHONOLOGY, for example, it is used in cases where there is a mutual predictability between sets of FEATURES, and avoids the necessity of having to make separate statements for the conditions of occurrence of each feature. For example, in order to state that a VOICED PLOSIVE in a language is always ROUNDED whereas a voiceless plosive is always unrounded, one can conflate the two rules by using the variable α to stand for the two possible correlations [+voice] ~ [+round] and [−voice] ~ [−round], viz. [α voice] → [α round]. Several developments of this convention will be encountered in this approach to phonology, including the use of other variables. See also AFFECT ALPHA, MOVE ALPHA.