<OT> New Posting: ROA-953

[roa at ruccs.rutgers.edu]

ROA 953-0308

Some correct error-driven versions of the Constraint Demotion algorithm

Paul Boersma <paul.boersma at uva.nl>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=953


Abstract:
This paper shows that Error-Driven Constraint Demotion (EDCD),
an error-driven learning algorithm proposed by Tesar (1995)
for Prince and Smolensky's (1993) version of Optimality
Theory, can fail to converge to a totally ranked hierarchy
of constraints, unlike the earlier non-error-driven learning
algorithms proposed by Tesar and Smolensky (1993). The cause
of the problem is found in Tesar's use of 'mark-pooling
ties', indicating that EDCD can be repaired by assuming
Anttila's (1997) 'permuting ties' instead. Simulations show
that totally ranked hierarchies can indeed be found by both
this repaired version of EDCD and Boersma's (1998) Minimal
Gradual Learning Algorithm.

Comments: 
Keywords: learnability, variation
Areas: Learnability,Language Acquisition,Computation
Type: Remark or Reply

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=953