An OT-ET Analysis of Polish Singular-Plural Pairs

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Xiaowen Ji ◽  
Jincheng Ni
Keyword(s):  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Combined Model ◽  
Analysis Pattern ◽  
Word Clouds ◽  
Exemplar Theory ◽  
Language Data ◽  
Object Of Study ◽  
Constraint Hierarchy ◽  
Linguistic Phenomenon

Optimality Theory (OT) and Exemplar Theory (ET) are two enchanting theories to many scholars, but each still faces criticism and remaining persistent problems. Application of both theories to areas in linguistics where conflicts may arise has been attempted, but still the suitability of combining the two theories to resolve contradictions awaits further analysis and verification. This article takes Polish singular-plural pairs as the object of study and argues in favor of an OT-ET combined model of analyzing the linguistic phenomenon. First, an underlying representation is identified to be the input in an OT analysis. Then two main changes are recognized between the input and output, and are regarded as instances of positional neutralization, and their relevant constraints and constraint hierarchies are presented. Following this, challenges are posed to OT despite its merits. It turns out that the combined OT-ET model works well, with historical development, underspecification, constraint hierarchy, and resemblance to existing word clouds, among others, all playing relevant parts. The current study adds to the extensiveness of language data analyzed for or against combining OT and ET, and sketches the analysis pattern of thus doing, with a view to offering more real-life language materials for an OT-ET combined model.

scholarly journals One rule, two frequency effects

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.

Doctor-Patient Relationship: The Difficult Balance between Patient Psychology and Community Sociology

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-50
Author(s):  
Jose Luis Turabian
Keyword(s):  
Social Context ◽  
Interpersonal Relationship ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Community Relations ◽  
Patient Relationship ◽  
Doctor Patient Relationship ◽  
Important Place ◽  
Usual Model ◽  
Individual Personality ◽  
Object Of Study

Psychology and sociology share a common object of study, human behaviour, but from different perspectives. Sociologists have focused on macro variables, such as social structure, education, gender, age, race, etc., while psychology has focused on micro variables such as individual personality and behaviours, beliefs, empathy, listening, etc. Despite the importance of interpersonal relationship skills, they depend on the community or social context in which communication takes place, and by themselves may have little relevance in the consultation. The purely psychological analysis of the doctor-patient relationship often leads to an idyllic vision, with the patient-centred consultation as the greatest exponent, which rarely occurs in real life. The purely sociological or community / social analysis of the doctor-patient relationship leads to a negative view of the consultation, which is always shown as problematic. But, the psychological system in the doctor-patient relationship cannot be neglected, and its study is of importance, at least as an intermediate mechanism that is created through socio-community relations. Although the same social causes are behind the doctor-patient relationship, when acting on psychological factors in the consultation, they act as an optical prism scattering socio-community relations that affect the doctor and the patient, giving rise to a beam of different colors of doctor-patient relationship. In doctor-patient relationship there is a modality of psychotherapy, where attitudes, thoughts and behaviour of the patient, can be change, as well as it can be extended on the way of understanding and therefore changing, his social context. Because of the distance between socio-community relations and the form of doctor-patient relations is growing in complex societies, under these conditions, the sociological factor gives the important place to the psychological factor. Given these difficulties of the doctor-patient relationship one may ask how general medical practice can persist with the usual model of doctor-patient relationship. Pain and the desire to relieve them are the basic reasons for the patient and the doctor, and they do not disappear due to the contradictions of the doctor-patient relationship. In this way, the confrontation between sociological and psychological vision is replaced by an alliance of both currents, and each of them takes on meaning only in the general vision.

THE CONCEPT AS THE OBJECT OF STUDY OF LINGUISTICS

2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 236-242
Author(s):  
K. Galiyeva ◽  
◽  
S. Isakova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Linguistics ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Subject Areas ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Basic Concepts ◽  
Points Of View ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Object Of Study ◽  
Linguistic Phenomenon ◽  
Scientific Fields

The article is devoted to the definition of concept in modern linguistics. Various points of view and definitions of the basic concepts are considered: "concept", "conceptual sphere", "content". The aim of the article is to describe and explain such a complex unit as a concept from the point of view of linguistics. The object of research is studied in its various manifestations, the combination of verbal and nonverbal means of information expression in the conceptual sphere is revealed. the relevance of this topic is due to the need for a detailed consideration of the concept of concept based on the works of prominent scientists and linguists. Researchers treat the concept as a cognitive, psycholinguistic, linguocultural, cultural and linguistic phenomenon. The concept is an umbrella term because it "covers" the subject areas of several scientific fields: primarily cognitive psychology and cognitive linguistics.

scholarly journals Acquiring markedness constraints

2013 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 188-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeroen van de Weijer ◽  
Marjoleine Sloos
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Universal Grammar ◽  
Language Data ◽  
Ambient Data ◽  
Made In

This paper questions the assumption made in classic Optimality Theory (Prince & Smolensky 1993 [2004]) that markedness constraints are an innate part of Universal Grammar. Instead, we argue that constraints are acquired on the basis of the language data to which L1 learning children are exposed. This is argued both on general grounds (innateness is an assumption that should not be invoked lightly) and on the basis of empirical evidence. We investigate this issue for six general markedness constraints in French, and show that all constraints could be acquired on the basis of the ambient data. Second, we show that the order of acquisition of the marked structures matches the frequency of violations of the relevant constraints in the input quite well. This argues in favour of a phonological model in which constraints are acquired, not innate, i.e. a model in which grammatical notions such as constraints are derived from language use.

Second language data and constraints on Manner: explaining substitutions for the English interdentals

2003 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Lombardi
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Optimality Theory ◽  
First Language ◽  
L1 Transfer ◽  
Language Data

Substitutions for English interdentals tend to be consistent based on first language (L1): eg. [t] for speakers of Russian, [s] for speakers of Japanese. While the facts suggest that some type of L1 transfer must be involved, a rule affecting a sound that does not occur in L1 is unlearnable. Optimality Theory (OT) allows a solution to this conundrum because the grammars contain independently necessary constraint rankings that also have an effect on the interdentals. [t] substitution results from high ranked markedness. This can be seen as an effect of universals because this grammar retains the original ranking that the L1 learners begins with. [s] substitution results from high ranked Faithfulness. In this case, some L1 phonology has forced reranking, making this an effect of L1 transfer.

Cognitive Linguistics, gesture studies, and multimodal communication

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 603-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Cienki
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Research ◽  
Cognitive Linguistics ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Multimodal Communication ◽  
The Other ◽  
Sociological Factors ◽  
Gesture Studies ◽  
Recorded Data ◽  
Object Of Study ◽  
Political Economic

AbstractThe fields of Cognitive Linguistics and gesture studies have begun to find each other of great interest in recent years. The cross-recognition is making for a healthy relationship because it is not a simple “mutual admiration society”, but a relation in which recognition of the other involves change and development on the part of each. Taking the usage-based tenet of Cognitive Linguistics seriously in light of video-recorded data of talk raises questions about the very object of study in Cognitive Linguistics, what its nature is, and what its scope is. The still nascient modern field of gesture studies calls for empirical research tied to the real life contexts of gesture use in order to gain a more complete picture of the phenomena “at hand”. Discussion of the place of studying multimodal communication within Cognitive Linguistics leads to consideration of broader political, economic, and sociological factors in academia which can play a role in determining the future of the field.

scholarly journals Formal terms of reproach in Russian discourse

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 65-79
Author(s):  
R. I. Shmurak
Keyword(s):  
Corpus Linguistics ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Russian Linguistics ◽  
Language Data

This article is concerned with the formal terms of reproach in Russian discourse and the corpus methods of their identification. Theoretically, it builds on the thesis that there are ‘true’ reproaches that can function autonomously in discourse and be adequately understood outside their context. Practically, the article describes the corpus search for formal terms of reproach. Methodologically, it abandons the synthetic outlook of pragmalinguistics, which dominates Russian linguistics, and treats reproach as a strictly linguistic object that has dis­cursive manifestations. This approach uses methods of corpus linguistics, which ‘visualise’ abstract models through arrays of real-life language data.

scholarly journals Neural networks, penalty logic and optimality theory

2009 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 53-94
Author(s):  
Reinhard Blutner
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Unified Theory ◽  
Modern Logic ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Formal Basis ◽  
The One ◽  
Neuronal Systems ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Constraint Hierarchy

Ever since the discovery of neural networks, there has been a controversy between two modes of information processing. On the one hand, symbolic systems have proven indispensable for our understanding of higher intelligence, especially when cognitive domains like language and reasoning are examined. On the other hand, it is a matter of fact that intelligence resides in the brain, where computation appears to be organized by numerical and statistical principles and where a parallel distributed architecture is appropriate. The present claim is in line with researchers like Paul Smolensky and Peter Gärdenfors and suggests that this controversy can be resolved by a unified theory of cognition – one that integrates both aspects of cognition and assigns the proper roles to symbolic computation and numerical neural computation. The overall goal in this contribution is to discuss formal systems that are suitable for grounding the formal basis for such a unified theory. It is suggested that the instruments of modern logic and model theoretic semantics are appropriate for analyzing certain aspects of dynamical systems like inferring and learning in neural networks. Hence, I suggest that an active dialogue between the traditional symbolic approaches to logic, information and language and the connectionist paradigm is possible and fruitful. An essential component of this dialogue refers to Optimality Theory (OT) – taken as a theory that likewise aims to overcome the gap between symbolic and neuronal systems. In the light of the proposed logical analysis notions like recoverability and bidirection are explained, and likewise the problem of founding a strict constraint hierarchy is discussed. Moreover, a claim is made for developing an "embodied" OT closing the gap between symbolic representation and embodied cognition.  

analysis of adaptation of the Loanwords in Kikuyu technological Words

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 109-120
Author(s):  
GACHAU ELENA NYAGUTHII ◽  
ANASHIA NANCY ONG’ONDA
Keyword(s):  
Optimality Theory ◽  
English Language ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Distinctive Features ◽  
Loanword Adaptation ◽  
Medicine Education ◽  
Linguistic Phenomenon

This paper examines loanwords adopted by native Gikuyu speakers to nativise English technological words using the theoretical framework of Optimality Theory as initiated by Prince and Smolensky (1993). Loanword adaptation is a linguistic phenomenon that occurs cross linguistically whenever one language interacts with another language. However, there are stipulations to borrowing because loanwords must be adapted to fit the second language’s Phonology system. Drawing from a sample of 80 words collected from the domain of technology, medicine, education and agriculture, the study found that Gikuyu speakers use processes such as insertion, deletion, vowel substitution and preservation to nativist borrowed word from English. The study also found out that this process occurs because of the tolerance threshold to segment preservation within a given constraint domain and due to distinctive features in English language and Gikuyu language.

Optimality Theory and variable word-final deletion in Faetar

1997 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi Nagy ◽  
Bill Reynolds
Keyword(s):  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Optimal Output ◽  
Input Form ◽  
Constraint Hierarchy

ABSTRACTWe examine a pattern of end-of-word deletion in Faetar, a Francoprovençal dialect spoken in southern Italy, considering synchronic variants like [brókələ] ˜ [brókəl] ˜ [brókə] ˜ [brok] ‘fork’. We use the word “deletion” as a synchronic description of the facts; speakers do not always phonetically produce everything in the input form, assuming that the input form is the longest form ever produced. Optimality Theory accounts for this type of variation by positing different rankings of the constraint hierarchy, each of which produces a different optimal output. The predication of alternate constraint rankings within a single dialect, however, poses problems for Optimality Theory as it has been formulated, necessitating numerous grammars for each speaker. We propose floating constraints (Reynolds, 1994), whereby some particular constraint within a single grammar may be represented as falling anywhere within a designated range in the ranking hierarchy. In a previous study (Reynolds & Nagy, 1994) we showed that this model accounts for the distribution of types of output forms produced. Here, we analyze a corpus of 624 tokens from 40 speakers and show that the pattern of distribution of tokens is accounted for as well: the number of rankings that produce each output form is closely correlated to the number of output forms that occur in the data set.

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