Learnability Theory
Overview
What is learnability theory?
Why should we care?
The acquisition equation
Innateness
Example
Positive Evidence
Learning algorithm
Identification in the limit
Gold’s model
The finite languages problem
Possible strategies
Not make-believe!: phonology
Not make-believe!: syntax
Degree-2 learnability
For example: Freezing Principle
Dell (1981)
Subset Principle
French
A different view of UG
Parametric theories of UG
Are these a problem?
Another problem
Learnability for finite UG
Cue-based learning
Parametric metrical phonology
Eight possible systems
3- and 4- syllable words
Dresher & Kaye’s proposal
The proposal for the 8 systems
Triggers
Global Trigger
Local Trigger
Triggering Learning Algorithm
G&W’s parameter space
Local maxima
Solutions considered
Parameter ordering
Learnability in OT
Optimality Theory
How OT works
An example: syllabification
A simple typology
A tableau for pseudo-Hawaiian
A tableau for pseudo-English
Factorial typology
Learning in OT
Constraint demotion
An example
Example continued
pseudo-Hawaiian again
Demoting NOCODA
Questions
Antilearnability
Email: hammond@u.arizona.edu
Home Page: http://www.u.arizona.edu/~hammond