| ROA: | 1055 |
| Title: | Phonotactic learning without a priori constraints: A connectionist analysis of Arabic cooccurrence restrictions |
| Authors: | John Alderete, Stefan Frisch, Paul Tupper |
| Comment: | Superseded by ROA-1161. |
| Length: | 16 |
| Abstract: | In this article, we develop a connectionist model of learning phonotactics and apply it to the problem of learning root cooccurrence restrictions in Arabic. Two types of connectionist networks are developed: a multilayer network with a hidden layer and a single layer network with recurrent connections. They are both shown to classify Arabic words and nonwords in ways that are qualitatively parallel to psycholinguistic studies of Arabic. In these networks, units and connections act like soft constraints in the computation of acceptability scores. Because these constraints are malleable and can change gradually over time, the networks learn phonotactic generalizations without requiring the prior existence of the exact constraints responsible for phonotactics, a fact that sets this model apart from many phonotactic learners. |
| Type: | Paper/tech report |
| Area/Keywords: | Phonology,Computation,Formal Analysis |
| Article: | This article has been withdrawn. |
