Computing constraint-based derivations: Phonological opacity and hidden structure learning

对人类语言结构的科学研究不仅提供了对人类思维运作的见解，而且在导致语言教学和语言障碍治疗方法的改进方面也具有社会效益。这项研究表明，语言在许多层面上都包含着复杂的模式，不仅包括将单词组织成句子（句法），还包括将声音组织成单词（音系）。该项目旨在更好地记录世界语言中复杂的语音模式，并创建和测试可以获取这些模式的计算学习模型。这项基础研究将有助于更好地理解人类语言学习，这是改善教学和治疗障碍的社会效益的关键。该项目还旨在增加女性在科学领域的代表性。在语言学学生中，女性的比例很高，但在计算机科学领域，无论是在学术界还是在工业界，女性的比例都很低。这个研究项目将在语言学和计算机科学之间建立智力桥梁；该项目还将让学生参与研究，特别强调在女本科生和研究生之间建立师徒关系。在这方面，该项目将为学生提供从事计算工作的机会，说明其对理解语言的重要性，并为寻找职业道路的年轻女性提供榜样。在约瑟夫·帕特和约翰·麦卡锡的指导下，这个项目将集中研究一组特别复杂的语音模式，其专业术语反映了它们的复杂性：它们被称为“不透明”。许多音韵学研究都是根据约束条件来描述音韵学模式的：关于一种语言中允许哪种声音组合的陈述。不透明的模式不能在所有情况下保持，并且不可能根据语言单词的约束来描述，即使这些约束允许彼此冲突。项目团队将创建一个包含世界上所有语言中已知的不透明模式的数据库，并在互联网上公开提供，以便其他人可以使用它并为其做出贡献。该数据库将用于开发基于约束衍生的不透明模式的新分析，这是音系学两种主要理论方法的综合。最后，项目团队将为基于约束的衍生开发计算学习模型，这将带来有趣的理论挑战，因为它们涉及“隐藏结构”：在单词发音中不明显的语言结构，但这是由语言学家假设的，可能是由学习者，来解释在语言中观察到的模式。这项研究将涉及开发新的软件，这些软件也将在互联网上免费提供。

The scientific study of the structure of human language offers not only insights into the workings of the human mind, but also societal benefits in leading to improved methods for language teaching and treatment of language disorders. This research has revealed that language contains intricate patterns at many levels, including not only the organization of words into sentences (syntax) but also the organization of sounds into words (phonology). This project aims to better document the range of intricate phonological patterns found amongst the world's languages, and to create and test computational learning models that can acquire these patterns. This basic research will lead to a better understanding of human language learning, which is key in working toward the societal benefits of improved teaching and treatment of disorders. This project also aims to increase the representation of women in science. Women are well represented amongst linguistics students, but under-represented in computer science, both in academia and in industry. This research project will build intellectual bridges between linguistics and computer science; the project will also engage students in research, with a special emphasis on establishing mentoring relationships amongst female undergraduate and graduate students. In this, this project will provide opportunities for students to engage in computational work, illustrations of its importance for understanding language, and role models for young women looking for a career path. Under the direction of Joseph Pater and John McCarthy, this project will focus on a particularly intricate set of phonological patterns whose technical term reflects their complexity: they are called "opaque". Much research in phonology characterizes phonological patterns in terms of constraints: statements about what kinds of sound combinations are allowed in a language. Opaque patterns are ones that fail to hold in all circumstances, and that are impossible to characterize in terms of constraints on the words of the language, even when those constraints are allowed to conflict with one another. The project team will create a database of all known opaque patterns amongst the world's languages, and make it publicly available on the internet, so that others can use it and contribute to it. This database will be used to develop new analyses of opaque patterns in terms of constraint-based derivations, a synthesis of two major theoretical approaches to phonology. Finally, the project team will develop computational learning models for constraint-based derivations, which pose interesting theoretical challenges because they involve "hidden structure": linguistic structure that is not apparent in the pronunciation of words, but that is posited by linguists, and presumably by learners, to explain the patterns that are observed in languages. This research will involve creating new software, which will also be made freely available on the internet.