A community outreach program of the Queens College (New York) Linguistics Department is described... more A community outreach program of the Queens College (New York) Linguistics Department is described as an example of the potential for institutional involvement with the community through linguistics. The report outlines the program's origins and early activities, and then describes a period of active program development, from 1983-1986, resulting from a number of grants. The program had three target populations, Spanish-illiterate Hispanics, nonliterate English-speaking adults, and nonliterate speakers of Haitian Creole; its components include: (1) training for literacy teachers and teachers of English as a second language (ESL), and (2) community literacy/ESL classes. It is noted that a key factor in the program's success has been the active interest of the college administration. Five conclusions about program effectiveness are made that: (1) although clarity about goals is necessary, flexibility is also important; (2) community leaders and students should be involved in all staves of planning and execution; (3) internal institutional support must be assured; (4) resources must be carefully ide. and the danger of over-extension must be heeded; and (5) identification with divisive partisan issues must be avoided.
Introduction to Psycholinguistics by L Taylor. Three general issues about psycholinguistics are c... more Introduction to Psycholinguistics by L Taylor. Three general issues about psycholinguistics are considered in detail: (1) Psycholinguists should attempt to provide psychological tests of competing linguistic theories. (2) More attention should be given by psycholinguists to the work done in the field of human information processing. (3) There is evidence for the Whorfian hypothesis, even in its strong version, at the phonetic level of language. It is concluded that improvement is needed in the communication between psycholinguistics and related disciplines and among the subdivisions of psycholinguistics.
The present level of understanding of the psycholinguistic processes and capacities underlying th... more The present level of understanding of the psycholinguistic processes and capacities underlying the child's acquisition of language is reviewed in this publication. In the first chapter, linguistic theories, biological characteristics of language learning, and the distinctions between language competence and language performance are discussed. The remaining two chapters are a detailed discussion of the empirical findings of psycholinguists and psychologists about language acquisition: chapter two focuses on the nature and acquisition of syntax while chapter three considers the nature of phonology in a grammar and the child's acquisition of phonology. A bibliography is included. (JM)
The theory proposed here, the Markedness Theory of Syllable Structure (MTSS), provides an account... more The theory proposed here, the Markedness Theory of Syllable Structure (MTSS), provides an account of syllabic phonotactics, wherein not only are features defining phonological content underspecified, but also those which determine the number and order of segments. The descriptive basis of MTSS in this paper consists of the minimally redundant underlying representations (URs) of stressed syllables in English. These forms are parsimoniously accounted for by a theory in which content features are associated with prosodic nodes in UR, and which contains an algorithm which maps UR prosodic nodes, specified for feature content, into strings of timing units (x's on the skeletal tier), with fully specified syllabic structures on the prosodic tier.
ABSTRACT This book grew out of a conference under a similar title that took place at CUNY in 2004... more ABSTRACT This book grew out of a conference under a similar title that took place at CUNY in 2004. As the title suggests, the book focuses on two fundamental issues in phonology: the architecture of the phonological component and the representation of phonological objects. The book points out that the centrality of these issues has often been ignored since the rise of optimality theory (OT). The hope, therefore, is that by offering 'a coherent view of phonology that is not Optimality Theory based' (back cover), the book can complement OT and move the field beyond it. The representations of three phonological objects are discussed in some detail: the speech sound, the syllable, and metrical structure. The term 'architecture' refers to a modular view of grammar: in particular, what modules there are in phonology, the interactions among them, and the interaction between phonology and other parts of grammar. The book has nineteen chapters. Ch. 1 is an overview written by the editors. It nicely summarizes the goals of the book and the contents of the chapters to follow. Chs. 2–4 deal with the representation of speech sounds, or feature theory. Ch. 2 is written by G. NICK CLEMENTS, a pioneer in feature geometry. He first argues for the importance of distinctive features and against 'a tendency to reduce or eliminate the role of features' (20). He then proposes a theory called 'feature economy', or E = S/F, where S is the number of sounds (phonemes) in a language, F the number of features needed to distinguish S, and E the value of feature economy. Clements suggests that there is a pressure for every language to maximize its E, which could be achieved in two ways. First, a language can try to increase S without increasing F (by filling distributional gaps with new sounds). Second, a language can try to decrease F without a significant decrease in S (by dropping some 'odd sounds' that require extra features). The theory makes some strong predictions. In particular, feature economy is a driving force in sound change, and the E value of a language should increase over time. This is, presumably, not always the case, even though Clements tried to gather supporting evidence from the UPSID database. Therefore, Clements proposes some additional constraints: avoiding marked features, favoring 'robust' features, and enhancement (adding or favoring features if they can enhance perception). These constraints can conflict with feature economy and with each other, a point that would resonate with OT. The importance of features is echoed by MORRIS HALLE (Ch. 3) and BERT VAUX (Ch. 4). Some questions remain in feature theory itself, however. For example, Halle questions Clements's choice of certain features, in particular [palatal] and [voice]. Similarly, Vaux asks whether features should be binary, equipollent, or privative, whether we should assume full specification or underspecification, and how markedness is determined. Vaux also questions the nature of feature economy (is it an intentional plan of the mind or an emerging result of competing forces?), and points out some pitfalls in using phonemic corpora. Bert Vaux and ANDREW WOLFE wrote the lead chapter on syllable structure (Ch. 5), which is followed by three commentary chapters. Vaux and Wolfe offer a theory of 'appendix', or how to treat an extra C before or after a syllable. Evidently, once appendices are excluded, syllable structures become simpler and the sonority sequencing requirement is better observed. Vaux and Wolfe propose that an extra C must be attached to a higher prosodic unit (e.g. a foot or a P-word), and a language can choose whether to allow such an attachment and to which prosodic level the attachment is made. It is worth noting that, since a word can contain two or more feet, if appendices can attach to a foot, then extra Cs can be found in word-medial positions, which does not seem to happen, at least in English (Borowsky 1989, Duanmu 2009). Charles E. Cairns (Ch. 6) points out that Vaux and Wolfe need a rule to delete Cs that cannot be appended to a host, but if so, we can simply state where to delete Cs, without requiring...
A community outreach program of the Queens College (New York) Linguistics Department is described... more A community outreach program of the Queens College (New York) Linguistics Department is described as an example of the potential for institutional involvement with the community through linguistics. The report outlines the program's origins and early activities, and then describes a period of active program development, from 1983-1986, resulting from a number of grants. The program had three target populations, Spanish-illiterate Hispanics, nonliterate English-speaking adults, and nonliterate speakers of Haitian Creole; its components include: (1) training for literacy teachers and teachers of English as a second language (ESL), and (2) community literacy/ESL classes. It is noted that a key factor in the program's success has been the active interest of the college administration. Five conclusions about program effectiveness are made that: (1) although clarity about goals is necessary, flexibility is also important; (2) community leaders and students should be involved in all staves of planning and execution; (3) internal institutional support must be assured; (4) resources must be carefully ide. and the danger of over-extension must be heeded; and (5) identification with divisive partisan issues must be avoided.
Introduction to Psycholinguistics by L Taylor. Three general issues about psycholinguistics are c... more Introduction to Psycholinguistics by L Taylor. Three general issues about psycholinguistics are considered in detail: (1) Psycholinguists should attempt to provide psychological tests of competing linguistic theories. (2) More attention should be given by psycholinguists to the work done in the field of human information processing. (3) There is evidence for the Whorfian hypothesis, even in its strong version, at the phonetic level of language. It is concluded that improvement is needed in the communication between psycholinguistics and related disciplines and among the subdivisions of psycholinguistics.
The present level of understanding of the psycholinguistic processes and capacities underlying th... more The present level of understanding of the psycholinguistic processes and capacities underlying the child's acquisition of language is reviewed in this publication. In the first chapter, linguistic theories, biological characteristics of language learning, and the distinctions between language competence and language performance are discussed. The remaining two chapters are a detailed discussion of the empirical findings of psycholinguists and psychologists about language acquisition: chapter two focuses on the nature and acquisition of syntax while chapter three considers the nature of phonology in a grammar and the child's acquisition of phonology. A bibliography is included. (JM)
The theory proposed here, the Markedness Theory of Syllable Structure (MTSS), provides an account... more The theory proposed here, the Markedness Theory of Syllable Structure (MTSS), provides an account of syllabic phonotactics, wherein not only are features defining phonological content underspecified, but also those which determine the number and order of segments. The descriptive basis of MTSS in this paper consists of the minimally redundant underlying representations (URs) of stressed syllables in English. These forms are parsimoniously accounted for by a theory in which content features are associated with prosodic nodes in UR, and which contains an algorithm which maps UR prosodic nodes, specified for feature content, into strings of timing units (x's on the skeletal tier), with fully specified syllabic structures on the prosodic tier.
ABSTRACT This book grew out of a conference under a similar title that took place at CUNY in 2004... more ABSTRACT This book grew out of a conference under a similar title that took place at CUNY in 2004. As the title suggests, the book focuses on two fundamental issues in phonology: the architecture of the phonological component and the representation of phonological objects. The book points out that the centrality of these issues has often been ignored since the rise of optimality theory (OT). The hope, therefore, is that by offering 'a coherent view of phonology that is not Optimality Theory based' (back cover), the book can complement OT and move the field beyond it. The representations of three phonological objects are discussed in some detail: the speech sound, the syllable, and metrical structure. The term 'architecture' refers to a modular view of grammar: in particular, what modules there are in phonology, the interactions among them, and the interaction between phonology and other parts of grammar. The book has nineteen chapters. Ch. 1 is an overview written by the editors. It nicely summarizes the goals of the book and the contents of the chapters to follow. Chs. 2–4 deal with the representation of speech sounds, or feature theory. Ch. 2 is written by G. NICK CLEMENTS, a pioneer in feature geometry. He first argues for the importance of distinctive features and against 'a tendency to reduce or eliminate the role of features' (20). He then proposes a theory called 'feature economy', or E = S/F, where S is the number of sounds (phonemes) in a language, F the number of features needed to distinguish S, and E the value of feature economy. Clements suggests that there is a pressure for every language to maximize its E, which could be achieved in two ways. First, a language can try to increase S without increasing F (by filling distributional gaps with new sounds). Second, a language can try to decrease F without a significant decrease in S (by dropping some 'odd sounds' that require extra features). The theory makes some strong predictions. In particular, feature economy is a driving force in sound change, and the E value of a language should increase over time. This is, presumably, not always the case, even though Clements tried to gather supporting evidence from the UPSID database. Therefore, Clements proposes some additional constraints: avoiding marked features, favoring 'robust' features, and enhancement (adding or favoring features if they can enhance perception). These constraints can conflict with feature economy and with each other, a point that would resonate with OT. The importance of features is echoed by MORRIS HALLE (Ch. 3) and BERT VAUX (Ch. 4). Some questions remain in feature theory itself, however. For example, Halle questions Clements's choice of certain features, in particular [palatal] and [voice]. Similarly, Vaux asks whether features should be binary, equipollent, or privative, whether we should assume full specification or underspecification, and how markedness is determined. Vaux also questions the nature of feature economy (is it an intentional plan of the mind or an emerging result of competing forces?), and points out some pitfalls in using phonemic corpora. Bert Vaux and ANDREW WOLFE wrote the lead chapter on syllable structure (Ch. 5), which is followed by three commentary chapters. Vaux and Wolfe offer a theory of 'appendix', or how to treat an extra C before or after a syllable. Evidently, once appendices are excluded, syllable structures become simpler and the sonority sequencing requirement is better observed. Vaux and Wolfe propose that an extra C must be attached to a higher prosodic unit (e.g. a foot or a P-word), and a language can choose whether to allow such an attachment and to which prosodic level the attachment is made. It is worth noting that, since a word can contain two or more feet, if appendices can attach to a foot, then extra Cs can be found in word-medial positions, which does not seem to happen, at least in English (Borowsky 1989, Duanmu 2009). Charles E. Cairns (Ch. 6) points out that Vaux and Wolfe need a rule to delete Cs that cannot be appended to a host, but if so, we can simply state where to delete Cs, without requiring...
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