Cognitive Biases, Linguistic Universals, and Constraint-Based Grammar Learning

Cognitive Biases, Linguistic Universals, and Constraint-Based Grammar Learning

According to classical arguments, language learning is both facilitated and constrained by cognitive biases. These biases are reflected in linguistic typology-the distribution of linguistic patterns across the world's languages-and can be probed with artificial grammar experiments on child and adult learners. Beginning with a widely successful approach to typology (Optimality Theory), and adapt...

Linguistic diversity and universals

Re - evaluating learning biases in Harmonic Grammar

In the Optimality Theoretic learnability and acquisition literature it has been frequently argued that certain classes of constraints must be biased toward high ranking. These biases have two primary motivations: allowing the restrictive intermediate stages attested in acquisition to emerge, and ensuring that restrictive final-state grammars can be successfully reached. Three main biases have b...

Constraint-Based Categorical Grammar

We propose a generalization of Categorial Grammar in which lexical categories are defined by means of recur-sive constraints. In particular, the introduction of re-lational constraints allows one to capture the effects of (recursive) lexical rules in a computationally attractive manner. We illustrate the linguistic merits of the new approach by showing how it accounts for the syntax of Dutch cr...

Constraint-Based Categorial Grammar

We propose a generalization of Categorial Grammar in which lexical categories are defined by means of recursive constraints. In particular, the introduction of relational constraints allows one to capture the effects of (recursive) lexical rules in a computationally attractive manner. We illustrate the linguistic merits of the new approach by showing how it accounts for the syntax of Dutch cros...