Probabilistic Models of Language Processing

Question 1

What is structuralism?

Answer 1

Linguistic theory that proposes that the words we have are connected to their tokens.
- You have a representation, an object and some arbitrary connection between them (letter, sound stream, etc.)

Question 2

What is Behaviorism?

Answer 2

Linguistic theory that proposes that we acquire language as a result of random alterations of appraisal, reward and practice
- We react to positive stimulus (reinforcement)

Question 3

What is Generativism?

Answer 3

Chomsky’s theory that we are born with universal principles that allow us to learn languages

Question 4

What is modularity?

Answer 4

Fodor believed language was modular:

• Automatic computations
• Once information gets in, processing cannot stop

Question 5

What is phonology? How does it relate to the probabilistic approach?

Answer 5

Distinctive sounds

The probability of a phonological unit affects how it behaves in a system