<OT> New Posting: ROA-872

[roa at ruccs.rutgers.edu]

ROA 872-1006

Harmonic Grammar with Linear Programming

Joe Pater <pater at linguist.umass.edu>
Christopher Potts <potts at linguist.umass.edu>
Rajesh Bhatt <bhatt at linguist.umass.edu>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=872


Abstract:
We show that Harmonic Grammars (HGs) translate into linear
systems and are thus solvable using the simplex algorithm, an
efficient, widely-deployed optimization algorithm that is
guaranteed to deliver the optimal solution if there is one and
to detect when no solution exists. Our associated software
package HaLP provides a practical tool for studying even large
and complex HGs. We provide an initial comparison of HG with
standard Optimality Theory and with the enriched version
allowing local constraint conjunction. This comparison shows
that HG has considerable potential as a framework for the study
of typology. The availability of HaLP can facilitate the future
evaluation of that potential.

Comments: 
Keywords: Harmonic Grammar, computation, linear programming, local conjunction
Areas: Computation,Formal Analysis,Phonology,Learnability
Type: Journal Article

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=872