Optimality Theory: Universal Grammar, Learning and Parsing Algorithms, and Connectionist Foundations (Abstract)
نویسندگان
چکیده
We present a recently proposed theory of grammar, Optimality Theory (OT; Prince & Smolensky 1991, 1993). The principles of OT derive in large part from the high-level principles governing computation in connectionist networks. The talk proceeds as follows: (1) we summarize OT and its applications to UG. The we present (2) learning and (3) parsing algorithms for OT. Finally, (4) we show how crucial elements of OT emerge from connectionism, and discuss the one central feature of OT which so far eludes connectionist explanation.
منابع مشابه
Universal Grammar and Chaos/Complexity Theory: Where Do They Meet And Where Do They Cross?
Abstract The present study begins by sketching "Chaos/Complexity Theory" (C/CT) and its applica-tion to the nature of language and language acquisition. Then, the theory of "Universal Grammar" (UG) is explicated with an eye to C/CT. Firstly, it is revealed that CCT may or may not be allied with a theory of language acquisition that takes UG as the initial state of language acquisition for ...
متن کاملTowards a Robuster Interpretive Parsing - Learning from Overt Forms in Optimality Theory
The input data to grammar learning algorithms often consist of overt forms that do not contain full structural descriptions. This lack of informationmay contribute to the failure of learning. Past work on Optimality Theory introduced Robust Interpretive Parsing (RIP) as a partial solution to this problem.We generalize RIP and suggest replacing the winner candidate with a weighted mean violation...
متن کاملA Parser for Harmonic Context-Free Grammars
Harmonic Grammar is a connectionist-derived grammar formalism, of which Optimality Theory is a kind of limiting case. Harmonic Grammar is expressive enough to specify the trees that are correct parses on a given contextfree grammar. Here, we show how to construct a connectionist parsing network which finds correct parses given a sentence, of if none exist, signals a rejection. Finally, a brief ...
متن کاملParsing with Pictures
The development of elegant and practical algorithms for parsing context-free languages is one of the major accomplishments of 20 century Computer Science. These algorithms are presented in the literature using string rewriting systems or abstract machines like pushdown automata, but the resulting descriptions are unsatisfactory for several reasons. First, even a basic understanding of parsing a...
متن کاملThe Learnability of Optimality Theory: An Algorithm and Some Basic Complexity Results
If Optimality Theory (Prince & Smolensky 1991, 1993) is correct, Universal Grammar provides a set of universal constraints which are highly general, inherently conflicting, and consequently rampantly violated in the surface forms of languages. A language’s grammar ranks the universal constraints in a dominance hierarchy, higher-ranked constraints taking absolute priority over lower-ranked const...
متن کامل