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BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:/NewsandEvents/Archives/2007/newsitem/1787/21-
 March-2007-Computational-Linguistics-Seminar-Paul-
 Boersma-joint-work-with-Silke-Hamann-
DTSTAMP:20070318T000000
SUMMARY:Computational Linguistics Seminar, Paul Bo
 ersma (joint work with Silke Hamann)
ATTENDEE;ROLE=Speaker:Paul Boersma (joint work wit
 h Silke Hamann)
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Amsterdam:20070321T160000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Amsterdam:20070321T000000
LOCATION:Room P3.27, Euclides Building, Plantage M
 uidergracht 24, Amsterdam
DESCRIPTION:This paper reconciles the standpoint t
 hat language users do not aim at improving their s
 ound systems with the observation that languages s
 eem to improve their sound systems. Computer simul
 ations of sibilant inventories show that Optimalit
 y-Theoretic learners who optimize their perception
  grammars automatically introduce a so-called prot
 otype effect, i.e. the phenomenon that the learner
 's preferred auditory realization of a certain pho
 nological category is more peripheral than the ave
 rage auditory realization of this category in her 
 language environment. In production, however, this
  prototype effect is counteracted by an articulato
 ry effect that limits the auditory form to somethi
 ng that is not too difficult to pronounce. If the 
 prototype effect and the articulatory effect are o
 f a ifferent size, the learner must end up with an
  auditorily different sound system from that of he
 r language environment. The computer simulations s
 how that, independently of the initial auditory so
 und system, a stable equilibrium is reached within
  a small number of generations. In this stable sta
 te, the dispersion of the sibilants of the languag
 e strikes an optimal balance between articulatory 
 ease and auditory contrast. This result has been d
 erived from a model without goal-oriented elements
 .    For more information, please contact jzuidema
  at science.uva.nl
X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:\n      <p>\n        
 This paper reconciles the standpoint that language
  users do not aim at improving their sound systems
  with the observation that languages seem to impro
 ve their sound systems. Computer simulations of si
 bilant inventories show that Optimality-Theoretic 
 learners who optimize their perception grammars au
 tomatically introduce a so-called prototype effect
 , i.e. the phenomenon that the learner's preferred
  auditory realization of a certain phonological ca
 tegory is more peripheral than the average auditor
 y realization of this category in her language env
 ironment. In production, however, this prototype e
 ffect is counteracted by an articulatory effect th
 at limits the auditory form to something that is n
 ot too difficult to pronounce. If the prototype ef
 fect and the articulatory effect are of a ifferent
  size, the learner must end up with an auditorily 
 different sound system from that of her language e
 nvironment. The computer simulations show that, in
 dependently of the initial auditory sound system, 
 a stable equilibrium is reached within a small num
 ber of generations. In this stable state, the disp
 ersion of the sibilants of the language strikes an
  optimal balance between articulatory ease and aud
 itory contrast. This result has been derived from 
 a model without goal-oriented elements.\n      </p
 >\n    \n      <p>\n        For more information, 
 please contact <a class="email">jzuidema <span cla
 ss="at">at</span> science.uva.nl</a>\n      </p>\n
     
URL:/NewsandEvents/Archives/2007/newsitem/1787/21-
 March-2007-Computational-Linguistics-Seminar-Paul-
 Boersma-joint-work-with-Silke-Hamann-
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