formalization (n.)

A characteristic of formulations in LINGUISTICS – and especially a primary goal of GENERATIVE analyses – whereby the RULES, PRINCIPLES, CONDITIONS, etc. governing an analysis are capable of being specified in a precise and rigorous way. Ultimately it ought to be possible, in any formalization, for a linguistic analysis to be interpreted in logical or mathematical terms, and a calculus developed. A ‘formalized’ account of an area of LANGUAGE, in this sense, is opposed to an ‘informal’ one. A specific feature, or set of features, used as part of the process of formalization, is known as a formalism.