Processing Scalar Implicatures in Mandarin Chinese: Testing the Processing Models

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Si Liu ◽  
Jianan Liu
Keyword(s):  
Lower Bound ◽  
The Other ◽  
Scalar Implicature ◽  
Similar Reaction ◽  
Scalar Implicatures ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Linguistic Ability ◽  
Participant Perception ◽  
Processing Mechanisms ◽  
Context Constraints

This study first adopted a participant-perception test to assess the processing model of scalar implicature in Chinese. Our main aim is to distinguish among the three possible processing mechanisms: the context-driven account, the default account and the standardized account. We designed two experiments to testify these three models mentioned above: one without any context and the other one with upper and lower contexts. In our Experiment 1, we conducted test items without contexts in child and adult groups, whose aim is to test the necessity of context to scalar implicature and thus clearly discern the three models. We found though without context, both children and adults group processed scalar implicature at a medium rate, which was an evidence to deny the context driven account. However, some adults tended to be confused about the experiment purpose when facing testing items totally without context constraints, and the children participants might get help from other developed linguistic ability in their processing, like the improved numeral ability. Thus it would be clear that the context account is unreliable, but it would still be early to tell whether the results support the default account or the standardization. In Experiment 2, we added the context constraints, the upper bound context and the lower bound context. Our final results, the still processing of utterance with SI in lower bound context and a similar reaction time to the scalar implicature processing in both upper and lower bound contexts denied the default account and showed a closer relation to the standardization account. 

scholarly journals Scalar Implicature, Hurford's Constraint, Contrastiveness and How They All Come Together

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Tomioka
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Scalar Implicature ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Scalar Implicatures ◽  
Linguistic Expression ◽  
Mutual Exclusivity ◽  
Principled Explanation ◽  
Better Than

Disjunction with two scalar items, such as some or all of the books, has been regarded as evidence for the grammatical theory of scalar implicatures (e.g., Chierchia et al., 2012). Hurford's Constraint (Hurford, 1974) provides that disjuncts are banned from having an entailing relation, and to make such a disjunction comply with Hurford's Constraint, the meaning of some must be locally strengthened. Interestingly, however, the order of disjoined scalar items is not free, as noted by Singh (2008). The order in which a weaker scalar item comes first followed by its stronger scalar mate is better than the other order. I present an analysis of this ordering restriction based on the novel observation that the restriction is not only found in disjunction but in contrastive environments in general. I propose that contrasting a linguistic expression requires a “contrast antecedent,” which must elicit a set of mutually exclusive alternatives that includes the meaning of the contrasted expression. It will be demonstrated how the mutual exclusivity requirement presents a principled explanation for the ordering asymmetry as well as Hurford's Constraint itself, which indicates that the root of the constraint is not in disjunction but in contrastiveness. One of the indispensable ingredients in the proposal is the grammatical/conventional generation of scalar implicatures, as the strengthened meaning must be the basis of alternatives. The paper also provides a speculative analysis of only, in which I suggest that the process of exhaustification in the grammatical theory of scalar implicatures should not be characterized as the implicit only, the semantic contributions of which are more different than commonly assumed.

The Reliability of Retrieval-Induced Forgetting

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosalind Potts ◽  
Robin Law ◽  
John F. Golding ◽  
David Groome
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Recognition Test ◽  
Laboratory Tests ◽  
The Other ◽  
Clinical Factors ◽  
Test Items ◽  
T1 And T2 ◽  
Test Materials ◽  
Induced Forgetting

Retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) refers to the finding that the retrieval of an item from memory impairs the retrieval of related items. The extent to which this impairment is found in laboratory tests varies between individuals, and recent studies have reported an association between individual differences in the strength of the RIF effect and other cognitive and clinical factors. The present study investigated the reliability of these individual differences in the RIF effect. A RIF task was administered to the same individuals on two occasions (sessions T1 and T2), one week apart. For Experiments 1 and 2 the final retrieval test at each session made use of a category-cue procedure, whereas Experiment 3 employed category-plus-letter cues, and Experiment 4 used a recognition test. In Experiment 2 the same test items that were studied, practiced, and tested at T1 were also studied, practiced, and tested at T2, but for the remaining three experiments two different item sets were used at T1 and T2. A significant RIF effect was found in all four experiments. A significant correlation was found between RIF scores at T1 and T2 in Experiment 2, but for the other three experiments the correlations between RIF scores at T1 and T2 failed to reach significance. This study therefore failed to find clear evidence for reliable individual differences in RIF performance, except where the same test materials were used for both test sessions. These findings have important implications for studies involving individual differences in RIF performance.

Differentiating scalar implicature from exclusion inferences in language acquisition

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jess Sullivan ◽  
Kathryn Davidson ◽  
Shirlene Wade ◽  
David Barner
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Scalar Implicature ◽  
Scalar Implicatures ◽  
Mutual Exclusivity ◽  
Logical Semantics

When acquiring language, children must not only learn the meanings of words, but also how to interpret them in context. For example, children must learn both the logical semantics of the scalar quantifier some and its pragmatically enriched meaning: ‘some but not all’. Some studies have shown that this “scalar implicature” that some implies ‘some but not all’ poses a challenge even to nine-year-olds, while others find success by age three. We asked whether reports of children’s early successes might be due to the computation of exclusion inferences (like contrast or mutual exclusivity) rather than an ability to compute scalar implicatures. We found that young children (N=214; ages 4;0-7;11) sometimes prefer to compute symmetrical exclusion inferences rather than asymmetric scalar inferences when interpreting quantifiers. This suggests that some apparent successes in computing scalar implicature can actually be explained by less sophisticated exclusion inferences.

Deutsch als schwächere Sprache bei deutsch-polnisch bilingualen Kindern: Studie zur Negation- und Verbstellung

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-297
Author(s):  
Aldona Sopata ◽  
Kamil Długosz
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Language Use ◽  
The Other ◽  
Bilingual Children ◽  
Striking Difference ◽  
Final Position ◽  
Development Characteristic ◽  
Processing Mechanisms ◽  
Constrained Input

AbstractThis article examines the acquisition of German as the weaker language in the cases of German-Polish bilingual children. Focusing on negation and verb position, phenomena that have frequently been taken as diagnostic when distinguishing between the course of language development characteristic for first (L1) and second language acquisition (L2), we analyse experimental and productive data from six simultaneously bilingual children. Due to the constrained input, German is their weaker language. The results in Forced Choice and Grammaticality Judgements tasks are compared with the results of monolingual children. We show that in the area of negation the acquisition of German as the weaker language resembles L1, and in the area of inversion and verb final position the development of the weaker language is delayed. The striking difference between bilinguals’ results in the experimental vs. productive tasks points to specific processing mechanisms in bilingual language use. In narrative contexts of the production tasks the language of the performance is activated, while the other is inhibited, which leads to a target-like performance. Structural properties of the stronger language tend to be activated, however, in the experimental tasks involving the weaker language, resulting in non-target-like responses.

scholarly journals Density Guarantee on Finding Multiple Subgraphs and Subtensors

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-32
Author(s):  
Quang-huy Duong ◽  
Heri Ramampiaro ◽  
Kjetil Nørvåg ◽  
Thu-lan Dam
Keyword(s):  
Lower Bound ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
The State ◽  
The Other ◽  
Exact Methods ◽  
Practical Solution ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Real World Datasets ◽  
Tensor Data

Dense subregion (subgraph & subtensor) detection is a well-studied area, with a wide range of applications, and numerous efficient approaches and algorithms have been proposed. Approximation approaches are commonly used for detecting dense subregions due to the complexity of the exact methods. Existing algorithms are generally efficient for dense subtensor and subgraph detection, and can perform well in many applications. However, most of the existing works utilize the state-or-the-art greedy 2-approximation algorithm to capably provide solutions with a loose theoretical density guarantee. The main drawback of most of these algorithms is that they can estimate only one subtensor, or subgraph, at a time, with a low guarantee on its density. While some methods can, on the other hand, estimate multiple subtensors, they can give a guarantee on the density with respect to the input tensor for the first estimated subsensor only. We address these drawbacks by providing both theoretical and practical solution for estimating multiple dense subtensors in tensor data and giving a higher lower bound of the density. In particular, we guarantee and prove a higher bound of the lower-bound density of the estimated subgraph and subtensors. We also propose a novel approach to show that there are multiple dense subtensors with a guarantee on its density that is greater than the lower bound used in the state-of-the-art algorithms. We evaluate our approach with extensive experiments on several real-world datasets, which demonstrates its efficiency and feasibility.

scholarly journals Tripartite entropic uncertainty relation under phase decoherence

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Abdelghany ◽  
A.-B. A. Mohamed ◽  
M. Tammam ◽  
Watson Kuo ◽  
H. Eleuch
Keyword(s):  
Lower Bound ◽  
Uncertainty Relation ◽  
Nearest Neighbors ◽  
The Other ◽  
Uncertainty In Measurement ◽  
Entropic Uncertainty Relation ◽  
Specific Choice ◽  
Phase Decoherence ◽  
Time Invariant ◽  
Incompatible Observables

AbstractWe formulate the tripartite entropic uncertainty relation and predict its lower bound in a three-qubit Heisenberg XXZ spin chain when measuring an arbitrary pair of incompatible observables on one qubit while the other two are served as quantum memories. Our study reveals that the entanglement between the nearest neighbors plays an important role in reducing the uncertainty in measurement outcomes. In addition we have shown that the Dolatkhah’s lower bound (Phys Rev A 102(5):052227, 2020) is tighter than that of Ming (Phys Rev A 102(01):012206, 2020) and their dynamics under phase decoherence depends on the choice of the observable pair. In the absence of phase decoherence, Ming’s lower bound is time-invariant regardless the chosen observable pair, while Dolatkhah’s lower bound is perfectly identical with the tripartite uncertainty with a specific choice of pair.

Lower Bounds to the Eigenvalues in One-Dimensional Problems by a Shift in the Weight Function

1970 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Pnueli
Keyword(s):  
Lower Bound ◽  
Weight Function ◽  
Lower Bounds ◽  
Variational Formulation ◽  
Ritz Method ◽  
The Other ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
Systematic Shift ◽  
The One ◽  
Detailed Computation

A method is presented to obtain both upper and lower bound to eigenvalues when a variational formulation of the problem exists. The method consists of a systematic shift in the weight function. A detailed procedure is offered for one-dimensional problems, which makes improvement of the bounds possible, and which involves the same order of detailed computation as the Rayleigh-Ritz method. The main contribution of this method is that it yields the “other bound;” i.e., the one which cannot be obtained by the Rayleigh-Ritz method.

A Model of Secure Functioning of Computer Systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 150-156
Author(s):  
A. V. Galatenko ◽  
◽  
V. A. Kuzovikhina ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Lower Bound ◽  
Computer System ◽  
Finite Automaton ◽  
Nonnegative Integer ◽  
The Other ◽  
Shannon Function ◽  
Security Breaches ◽  
System Functioning ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Given

We propose an automata model of computer system security. A system is represented by a finite automaton with states partitioned into two subsets: "secure" and "insecure". System functioning is secure if the number of consecutive insecure states is not greater than some nonnegative integer k. This definition allows one to formally reflect responsiveness to security breaches. The number of all input sequences that preserve security for the given value of k is referred to as a k-secure language. We prove that if a language is k-secure for some natural and automaton V, then it is also k-secure for any 0 < k < k and some automaton V = V (k). Reduction of the value of k is performed at the cost of amplification of the number of states. On the other hand, for any non-negative integer k there exists a k-secure language that is not k"-secure for any natural k" > k. The problem of reconstruction of a k-secure language using a conditional experiment is split into two subcases. If the cardinality of an input alphabet is bound by some constant, then the order of Shannon function of experiment complexity is the same for al k; otherwise there emerges a lower bound of the order nk.

scholarly journals Complex Inferential Processes Are Needed for Implicature Comprehension, but Not for Implicature Production

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Mognon ◽  
Simone A. Sprenger ◽  
Sanne J. M. Kuijper ◽  
Petra Hendriks
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Scalar Implicature ◽  
Scalar Implicatures ◽  
Intended Meaning ◽  
Apply Theory ◽  
Bidirectional Optimality Theory ◽  
The Asymmetry ◽  
Variable Performance

Upon hearing “Some of Michelangelo’s sculptures are in Rome,” adults can easily generate a scalar implicature and infer that the intended meaning of the utterance corresponds to “Some but not all Michelangelo’s sculptures are in Rome.” Comprehension experiments show that preschoolers struggle with this kind of inference until at least 5 years of age. Surprisingly, the few studies having investigated children’s production of scalar expressions like some and all suggest that production is adult-like already in their third year of life. Thus, children’s production of implicatures seems to develop at least 2 years before their comprehension of implicatures. In this paper, we present a novel account of scalar implicature generation in the framework of Bidirectional Optimality Theory: the Asymmetry Account. We show that the production–comprehension asymmetry is predicted to emerge because the comprehension of some requires the hearer to consider the speaker’s perspective, but the production of some does not require the speaker to consider the hearer’s perspective. Hence, children’s comprehension of scalar expressions, but not their production of scalar expressions, is predicted to be related to their theory of mind development. Not possessing fully developed theory of mind abilities yet, children thus have difficulty in comprehending scalar expressions such as some in an adult-like way. Our account also explains why variable performance is found in experimental studies testing children’s ability to generate scalar implicatures; moreover, it describes the differences between children’s and adults’ implicature generation in terms of their ability to recursively apply theory of mind; finally, it sheds new light on the question why the interpretation of numerals does not require implicature generation.

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