[lingtalks] TODAY: Matt Goldrick (Linguistics Colloquium)

[Klinton Bicknell]

TODAY at 3pm, Matt Goldrick (Northwestern; http:// 
ling.northwestern.edu/~goldrick/ ) will give a colloquium in the UCSD  
Linguistics Department, in AP&M 4301.

:: Abstract ::

(Non)modularity in Speech Production and Phonological Grammars

Generative grammars typically assume a modular architecture, where  
distinct components of linguistic knowledge are represented by  
independent, isolated sub-systems. For example, the phonological  
lexicon, which specifies relatively arbitrary properties of word  
form, is independent of phonological/phonetic knowledge. I'll discuss  
recent work in speech production that suggests these two components  
of knowledge interact in a non-discrete fashion. I'll review  
experimental work documenting the phenomenon of lexically conditioned  
phonetic variation--where whole-word properties (e.g., lexical  
frequency, neighborhood density) affect the fine-grained phonetic  
realization of that word (e.g., word duration, precise voice onset  
time of initial stops). I'll then sketch how such phenomena can be  
accounted for within grammatical theories (in particular, Harmonic  
Grammar) by incorporating gradient phonological representations.

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For further information about the Linguistics department colloquia  
series, including the schedule of future events, please visit http:// 
ling.ucsd.edu/events/colloquia.html .