Input Optimisation: phonology and morphology

Michael Hammond

doi:10.1017/s095267571600021x

Input Optimisation: phonology and morphology

Phonology ◽

10.1017/s095267571600021x ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 459-491

Author(s):

Michael Hammond

Keyword(s):

Optimality Theory ◽

Frequency Effects ◽

Corpus Data ◽

Phonological Complexity

In this paper, I provide a unified account of three frequency effects in phonology. First, typologically marked elements are underrepresented. Second, phonological changes are underrepresented. Third, morphologically conditioned phonological changes are overrepresented. These effects are demonstrated with corpus data from English and Welsh. I show how all three effects follow from a simple conception of phonological complexity. Further, I demonstrate how this notion of complexity makes predictions about other phenomena in these languages, and that these predictions are borne out. I model this with traditional Optimality Theory, but the proposal is consistent with any constraint-based formalism that weights constraints in some way.

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Frequency effects in the L2 acquisition of the catenative verb construction – evidence from experimental and corpus data

Cognitive Linguistics ◽

10.1515/cog-2018-0139 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 417-451 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Lina Azazil

Keyword(s):

Mental Representation ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

L2 Acquisition ◽

Corpus Study ◽

Frequency Effects ◽

Abstract Schema ◽

Frequent Variant ◽

Corpus Data

AbstractThis paper investigates frequency effects in the L2 acquisition of the catenative verb construction by German learners of English from a usage-based perspective by presenting findings from two experimental studies and a complementary corpus study. It was examined if and to what extent the frequency of the verb in the catenative verb construction affects the choice of the target-like complement type and if the catenative verb construction with a to-infinitive complement, which is highly frequent in English, is more accurately acquired and entrenched than the less frequent variant with an -ing complement. In all three studies, the more frequent construction with a to-infinitive yielded higher numbers of target-like complement choices. Furthermore, it was shown that the verb’s faithfulness to the construction made a significant prediction of a target-like complement preference. It is argued that a higher faithfulness promotes a target-like entrenchment of the construction and motivates a taxonomic generalisation across related exemplars. Furthermore, the results provide support for the idea that the mental representation of language is comprised of item-specific as well as more abstract schema knowledge, where frequency determines the specificity with which the construction is entrenched.

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A multimodel inference approach to categorical variant choice: construction, priming and frequency effects on the choice between full and contracted forms of am, are and is

Corpus Linguistics and Linguistic Theory ◽

10.1515/cllt-2014-0022 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 203-260 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Danielle Barth ◽

Vsevolod Kapatsinski

Keyword(s):

Model Selection ◽

Prior Work ◽

Single Model ◽

Frequency Effects ◽

Multimodel Inference ◽

Classic Problem ◽

Model Selection Uncertainty ◽

Corpus Data ◽

Selection For ◽

Auxiliary Contraction

AbstractThe present paper presents a multimodel inference approach to linguistic variation, expanding on prior work by Kuperman and Bresnan (2012). We argue that corpus data often present the analyst with high model selection uncertainty. This uncertainty is inevitable given that language is highly redundant: every feature is predictable from multiple other features. However, uncertainty involved in model selection is ignored by the standard method of selecting the single best model and inferring the effects of the predictors under the assumption that the best model is true. Multimodel inference avoids committing to a single model. Rather, we make predictions based on the entire set of plausible models, with contributions of models weighted by the models' predictive value. We argue that multimodel inference is superior to model selection for both the I-Language goal of inferring the mental grammars that generated the corpus, and the E-Language goal of predicting characteristics of future speech samples from the community represented by the corpus. Applying multimodel inference to the classic problem of English auxiliary contraction, we show that the choice between multimodel inference and model selection matters in practice: the best model may contain predictors that are not significant when the full set of plausible models is considered, and may omit predictors that are significant considering the full set of models. We also contribute to the study of English auxiliary contraction. We document the effects of priming, contextual predictability, and specific syntactic constructions and provide evidence against effects of phonological context.

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One rule, two frequency effects

Papers in Historical Phonology ◽

10.2218/pihph.4.2019.3014 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. 1-21

Author(s):

Marjoleine Sloos

Keyword(s):

Optimality Theory ◽

Historical Change ◽

Old High German ◽

Front Vowel ◽

Combined Model ◽

Frequency Effects ◽

Frequency Of Use ◽

Exemplar Theory ◽

Long Time ◽

Current Change

The low-mid unrounded front vowel /ɛː/ in German (as in Bären) has been subject to change since Old High German. It slowly merged with the high-mid unrounded front vowel /eː/, but a reversal seems to have emerged recently. This paper investigates both historical and current change of the Bären vowel. Historical change is investigated through literature-based research; current change is examined through corpus-based research. This paper takes the approach of studying both grammatical context and frequency of use. The two major insights of this study are (i) that the BÄREN vowel has been subject to change for a long time and is still variable, and (ii) that frequency effects interact with grammar in an unexpected way. This interaction shows us how to proceed with hybrid grammar-lexicon modelling and I advocate a combined model of Optimality Theory and Exemplar Theory to account for this type of grammar-frequency interactions.

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Real Ear Sound Pressure Levels Developed by Three Portable Stereo System Earphones

American Journal of Audiology ◽

10.1044/1059-0889.0104.52 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 1 (4) ◽

pp. 52-55 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Gail L. MacLean ◽

Andrew Stuart ◽

Robert Stenstrom

Keyword(s):

High Frequency ◽

Sound Pressure ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Test System ◽

Output Frequency ◽

Frequency Effects ◽

Adult Men ◽

Frequency Responses ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Sound Pressure Levels

Differences in real ear sound pressure levels (SPLs) with three portable stereo system (PSS) earphones (supraaural [Sony Model MDR-44], semiaural [Sony Model MDR-A15L], and insert [Sony Model MDR-E225]) were investigated. Twelve adult men served as subjects. Frequency response, high frequency average (HFA) output, peak output, peak output frequency, and overall RMS output for each PSS earphone were obtained with a probe tube microphone system (Fonix 6500 Hearing Aid Test System). Results indicated a significant difference in mean RMS outputs with nonsignificant differences in mean HFA outputs, peak outputs, and peak output frequencies among PSS earphones. Differences in mean overall RMS outputs were attributed to differences in low-frequency effects that were observed among the frequency responses of the three PSS earphones. It is suggested that one cannot assume equivalent real ear SPLs, with equivalent inputs, among different styles of PSS earphones.

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Nonword Repetition Skills in Gulf Arabic–Speaking Children With Developmental Language Disorder

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2020_jslhr-20-00040 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 63 (11) ◽

pp. 3700-3713

Author(s):

Saleh Shaalan

Keyword(s):

Phonological Processing ◽

Language Disorder ◽

Nonword Repetition ◽

School Age Children ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Developmental Language Disorder ◽

Gulf Arabic ◽

Arabic Speaking ◽

Phonological Complexity

Purpose This study examined the performance of Gulf Arabic–speaking children with developmental language disorder (DLD) on a Gulf Arabic nonword repetition (GA-NWR) test and compared it to their age- and language-matched groups. We also investigated the role of syllable length, wordlikeness, and phonological complexity in light of NWR theories. Method A new GA-NWR test was conducted with three groups of Gulf Arabic–speaking children: school-age children with DLD, language-matched controls (LCs), and age-matched controls (ACs). The test consisted of two- and three-syllable words that either had no clusters, medial clusters, final clusters, or medial + final clusters. Results The GA-NWR distinguished between the performance of children with DLD and the LC and AC groups. Results showed significant syllable length, wordlikeness, and phonological complexity effects. Differences between the DLD and typically developing groups were seen in two- and three-syllable nonwords; however, when compared on nonwords with no clusters, children with DLD were not significantly different from the LC group. Conclusions The GA-NWR test differentiated between children with DLD and their ACs and LCs. Findings, therefore, support its clinical utility in this variety of Arabic. Results showed that phonological processing factors, such as phonological complexity, may have stronger effects when compared to syllable length effects. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12996812

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The Syllable in Optimality Theory

10.1017/cbo9780511497926 ◽

2003 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Keyword(s):

Optimality Theory

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Segmental Phonology in Optimality Theory

10.1017/cbo9780511570582 ◽

2001 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Keyword(s):

Optimality Theory ◽

Segmental Phonology

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Experience Matters

Zeitschrift für Psychologie ◽

10.1027/2151-2604/a000423 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 228 (4) ◽

pp. 254-263 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pedro S. Mendes ◽

Karlos Luna ◽

Pedro B. Albuquerque

Keyword(s):

Word Frequency ◽

High Frequency ◽

Recall Test ◽

Judgments Of Learning ◽

Direct Experience ◽

Frequency Effects ◽

Actual Frequency ◽

Actual Word ◽

High Frequency Words

Abstract. The present study tested if word frequency effects on judgments of learning (JOLs) are exclusively due to beliefs or if the direct experience with the items also plays a role. Across four experiments, participants read prompts about the frequency of the words (high/low), which could be congruent/incongruent with the words’ actual frequency. They made pre-study JOLs (except Experiment 1b), immediate JOLs, and completed a recall test. If experience drives the effect, JOLs should be based on actual word frequency rather than the prompts. Results showed higher pre-study JOLs for prompts of high frequency, but higher immediate JOLs for high-frequency words regardless of the prompt, suggesting an effect of direct experience with the words. In Experiments 2 and 3, we manipulated participants’ beliefs, finding a small effect of beliefs on JOLs. We conclude that, regarding word frequency, direct experience with the items seems more relevant than beliefs when making immediate JOLs.

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