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活动的洞察，而且在改进语言教学和治疗语言障碍的方法方面也带来了社会效益。这项研究揭示了语言在许多层面上包含着错综复杂的模式，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(音系学)。这个项目旨在更好地记录在世界语言中发现的一系列复杂的语音模式，并创建和测试可以获得这些模式的计算学习模型。这项基础研究将导致对人类语言学习的更好理解，这是努力实现改善教学和疾病治疗的社会效益的关键。该项目还旨在增加女性在科学领域的代表性。女性在语言学学生中的比例很高，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。该研究项目将在语言学和计算机科学之间搭建智力桥梁；该项目还将吸引学生参与研究，特别强调在女本科生和研究生之间建立指导关系。在这个项目中，这个项目将为学生提供从事计算工作的机会，说明它对理解语言的重要性，并为寻找职业道路的年轻女性树立榜样。在约瑟夫·佩特和约翰·麦卡锡的指导下，这个项目将专注于一组特别复杂的音系模式，这些模式的专业术语反映了它们的复杂性：它们被称为“不透明”。音系学方面的许多研究都是从限制的角度来描述语音模式：即关于一种语言中允许什么样的声音组合的陈述。不透明模式是指在所有情况下都不成立的模式，而且不可能用对语言文字的限制来描述，即使这些限制被允许相互冲突。该项目团队将创建一个数据库，其中包括世界上所有已知的不透明语言模式，并在互联网上公开提供，这样其他人就可以使用它并为其做出贡献。这个数据库将被用来根据基于约束的派生对不透明模式进行新的分析，这是音系学的两种主要理论方法的综合。最后，该项目团队将开发基于约束的派生的计算学习模型，这构成了有趣的理论挑战，因为它们涉及“隐藏结构”：在单词的发音中并不明显的语言结构，但这是语言学家假设的，也可能是学习者提出的，以解释语言中观察到的模式。这项研究将包括开发新的软件，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.