<OT> New Posting: ROA-643

[roa at ruccs.rutgers.edu]

ROA 643-0204

The learnability of Latin stress

Diana Apoussidou <d.apoussidou at uva.nl>
Paul Boersma <paul.boersma at uva.nl>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=643


Abstract:
Optimality-Theoretic learning algorithms are only guaranteed
to be successful if the data fed to them contain full structural
descriptions of the surface forms, i.e. descriptions that
include hidden structure like metrical feet. This is not
realistic as a model of acquisition, because children are
only exposed to overt forms, e.g. unstructured strings of
syllables. Optimality-Theoretic learning algorithms that
learn solely from overt forms turn out to sometimes succeed
and sometimes fail (Tesar & Smolensky 2000). This possibility
of failure is a property of both on-line learning algorithms
that have been proposed for OT, namely Error Driven Constraint
Demotion (EDCD; Tesar 1995) and the Gradual Learning Algorithm
(GLA; Boersma 1997). The possibility of failure is not necessaril
y bad: one would want an algorithm to fail for languages
that do not exist, and to succeed for languages that do
exist. Latin exists (or existed). This paper compares the
performance of the two learning algorithms for the metrical
stress system of Classical Latin. It turns out that EDCD
cannot learn this system from overt forms only, and that
the GLA can. This suggests that the GLA may be a better
model of acquisition than EDCD. The results also provide
evidence in the discussion in the literature about what
is the correct linguistic analysis of Latin stress: if overt
forms contain main stress only, the GLA makes the child
posit an analysis that makes use of uneven trochees (like
the analysis by Jacobs 2000) rather than strictly bimoraic
trochees (like the analysis by Mester 1994 and Hayes 1995).

Comments: 
Keywords: Latin,stress
Areas: Phonology,Learnability,Language Acquisition
Type: Manuscript

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=643