<OT> New Posting: ROA-967

[roa at ruccs.rutgers.edu]

ROA 967-0508

Gradual Learning and Faithfulness: Consequences of Ranked vs. Weighted Constraints

Karen Jesney <kjesney at linguist.umass.edu>
Anne-Michelle Tessier <amtessier at ualberta.ca>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=967


Abstract:
This paper investigates a class of stages in L1 phonological
acquisition where children faithfully produce marked structures
only in privileged positions. We present one such stage,
referred here to here as an Intermediate Faith (IF) stage,
using data from the acquisition of Hebrew reported by Bat-El
(2007). The privileged domain in this case is defined morphologic
ally (noun vs. non-noun). We then show how a gradual, on-line
learner using weighted constraints as in Harmonic Grammar
naturally passes through IF stages, which we model as gang
effects between general and specific Faithfulness constraints.
Finally, we compare the performance of a ranked constraint
learner to that of the HG system developed here.

Comments: Proceedings of NELS38
Keywords: Harmonic Grammar, faithfulness, Noun-Faithfulness, intermediate stages, acquisition
Areas: Learnability,Phonology,Language Acquisition
Type: Conference Proceedings Chapter

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=967