A computational approach to the phonology of connected speech
This thesis attempts to answer the question ~How do we store and retrieve linguistic information?~, and to show how this is intimately related to the question of connected speech phonology. The main discussion begins in Chapter One with a non-linguistic introduction to the problem of looking things up, and considers in particular the hashtable and its properties. The theme is developed directly in the latter part of the chapter, and further in Chapter Two, where it is proposed not only that the hashtable is the mechanism actually used by the language faculty, but also that phonology is that mechanism. Chapter Two develops in detail a radically new theory of phonology based on this hypothesis, and examines at length its ramifications. As a foundation for understanding how the phonological and the conceptual-semantic forms of utterances are related, we undertake a detailed study of the relationship between ~form~ and ~meaning~ in Chapter Three. We propose a general algorithm, which we claim is a real mechanism driving the acquisition of morphological knowledge, that can abstract and generalise these sorts of morphological relationships. We examine its computational properties, which are surprisingly favourable,
Jensen, Sean
Linguistics
A computational approach to the phonology of connected speech. This thesis attempts to answer the question ~How do we store and retrieve linguistic information?~, and to show how this is intimately related to the question of connected speech phonology. The main discussion begins in Chapter One with a non-linguistic introduction to the problem of looking things up, and considers in particular the hashtable and its properties. The theme is developed directly in the latter part of the chapter, and further in Chapter Two, where it is proposed not only that the hashtable is the mechanism actually used by the language faculty, but also that phonology is that mechanism. Chapter Two develops in detail a radically new theory of phonology based on this hypothesis, and examines at length its ramifications. As a foundation for understanding how the phonological and the conceptual-semantic forms of utterances are related, we undertake a detailed study of the relationship between ~form~ and ~meaning~ in Chapter Three. We propose a general algorithm, which we claim is a real mechanism driving the acquisition of morphological knowledge, that can abstract and generalise these sorts of morphological relationships. We examine its computational properties, which are surprisingly favourable,
computational phonology connect_speech attempt_answer question how store retrieve linguistic information show intimately relate question connect_speech phonology main discussion begin non_linguistic introduction problem look thing considers particular property theme_develop directly latter_part propose mechanism actually use language_faculty also phonology mechanism develops detail radically new theory phonology base hypothesis examine length ramification foundation phonological conceptual semantic form utterance relate undertake_detailed study relationship form_meaning propose general algorithm claim real mechanism drive acquisition morphological knowledge abstract generalise sort morphological relationship examine computational property surprisingly favourable