Linguistic Topic: Generative Phonology.ppt

Generative Phonology

1. Generative PhonologyGenerative Phonology

2. The originsThe origins

Noam ChomskyNoam Chomsky – a student of Zellig – a student of Zellig
Harris; born 1928, interest in language Harris; born 1928, interest in language
at 10, his father a Hebrew philologist at 10, his father a Hebrew philologist
William Chomsky William Chomsky

Morris HalleMorris Halle – a student of Roman – a student of Roman
Jakobson; born in Latvia 1923, 1940 in Jakobson; born in Latvia 1923, 1940 in
the US, studied engineering, then the US, studied engineering, then
linguisticslinguistics

3. The fall of American The fall of American
structuralismstructuralism
(1)(1)

rather than the operationalist, rather than the operationalist,
verificationist empiricism verificationist empiricism  theories which theories which
have have explanatory and predictiveexplanatory and predictive power power
within a domain, bring coherence to itwithin a domain, bring coherence to it

rather than behaviourism rather than behaviourism  more more
structured & less simplistic structured & less simplistic psychological psychological
theoriestheories in perception & learning in perception & learning

4. The fall of American The fall of American
structuralism (2)structuralism (2)

the strict requirement of bi-uniqueness the strict requirement of bi-uniqueness
 led to counterintuitive analyses led to counterintuitive analyses

analytic difficulties in the area of analytic difficulties in the area of
suprasegmentals; e.g., to describe suprasegmentals; e.g., to describe
stress in English:stress in English:

requires extensive reference to requires extensive reference to
grammatical structuregrammatical structure

the contrasts are not recoverable from the contrasts are not recoverable from
phonetic data alone phonetic data alone

5. The confrontationThe confrontation

1957 Chomsky 1957 Chomsky Syntactic StructuresSyntactic Structures had impact had impact
since structuralist linguistics didn’t have a since structuralist linguistics didn’t have a
theory of syntaxtheory of syntax

the strongest point of Am. structuralism the strongest point of Am. structuralism
continued by Chomsky: concern for formal continued by Chomsky: concern for formal
analysis and explicit statementanalysis and explicit statement

1959 Halle 1959 Halle Sound Pattern of RussianSound Pattern of Russian – attacked – attacked
the bi-uniqueness conditionthe bi-uniqueness condition

1959 Chomsky’s review of Skinner’s 1959 Chomsky’s review of Skinner’s Verbal Verbal
BehaviourBehaviour

1965 Householder’s attack on generative 1965 Householder’s attack on generative
phonology in phonology in JL JL 1; Chomsky and Halle’s reply 1; Chomsky and Halle’s reply
in the following issuein the following issue

6. Morris Halle and generative Morris Halle and generative
phonology (1)phonology (1)

1952 Jakobson, Fant & Halle 1952 Jakobson, Fant & Halle
Preliminaries to Speech AnalysisPreliminaries to Speech Analysis: :
Jakobson’s distinctive features in Jakobson’s distinctive features in
acoustic and articulatory termsacoustic and articulatory terms

the importance of both the importance of both
morphophonemics and acoustic morphophonemics and acoustic
phoneticsphonetics

7. Morris Halle and generative phonologyMorris Halle and generative phonology
(2): formal conditions which phonological (2): formal conditions which phonological
descriptions must satisfydescriptions must satisfy

representations be organized into representations be organized into
sequences of segments and boundariessequences of segments and boundaries

segments are specified in terms of segments are specified in terms of
distinctive featuresdistinctive features
(3). it should be possible to infer the (3). it should be possible to infer the
linguistically relevant properties of the linguistically relevant properties of the
utterance from the phonological utterance from the phonological
representation, representation, BUT NOTBUT NOT
(3a). to infer the proper phonological (3a). to infer the proper phonological
representation of any speech event only representation of any speech event only
from the physical properties of this event (from the physical properties of this event (
bi-uniqueness)bi-uniqueness)

8. Halle’s argument against bi-Halle’s argument against bi-
uniquenessuniqueness

in Russian, voicing is distinctive for all obstruents in Russian, voicing is distinctive for all obstruents
except /ts/, /except /ts/, /čč/ and /x// and /x/

/ts/, //ts/, /čč/ and /x/ get voiced before vd obstr/ and /x/ get voiced before vd obstr

all obstr are vless word-finally, unless before a vd all obstr are vless word-finally, unless before a vd
obstrobstr
[mo[mok k li] [moli] [mogg bbɨ]; [ɨ]; [žžeečč li] [ li] [žžeeddžž bbɨ]ɨ]

if a phon. repr. satisfies both (3) & (3a):if a phon. repr. satisfies both (3) & (3a):
/mo/mokk li/ /mo li/ /mogg bi/; bi/; [[žžeečč li] [ li] [žžeečč bibi]]
(there is no vd phoneme (there is no vd phoneme ǰǰ!) & a rule voicing !) & a rule voicing /ts/, //ts/, /čč/ /
and /x/ + a rule voicing all other obstruents (so and /x/ + a rule voicing all other obstruents (so
obstruents split into two groups, and voicing split obstruents split into two groups, and voicing split
into two rules)into two rules)

if 3a dropped:if 3a dropped:
/mo/mokk li/ /mo li/ /mokk bi/; bi/; [[žžeečč li] [ li] [žžeečč bibi]] & a rule of voicing & a rule of voicing

9. Halle cont.Halle cont.

thus, representation chosen for the thus, representation chosen for the
benefit of the rule (one unitary regularity)benefit of the rule (one unitary regularity)

centrality of centrality of rulesrules in a phonological in a phonological
descriptiondescription

change towards much more change towards much more abstractabstract
representationsrepresentations

language as a complex cognitive system language as a complex cognitive system
(including rules and representations) (including rules and representations)
rather than an inventory rather than an inventory

10. antecedents (1)antecedents (1)

Chomsky’s ideas were developed largely in Chomsky’s ideas were developed largely in
isolation from the linguistic traditionisolation from the linguistic tradition

Halle’s Halle’s  clear antecedents in clear antecedents in the Prague the Prague
SchoolSchool via Jakobson: via Jakobson:

distinctive featuresdistinctive features, which were used as , which were used as
notation necessary innotation necessary in

the evaluation of grammars (uniform notation the evaluation of grammars (uniform notation
makes it possible to compare alternative makes it possible to compare alternative
descriptions of the same facts) descriptions of the same facts)  evaluation evaluation
measuremeasure

and in formulating and in formulating linguistically significant linguistically significant
generalizationsgeneralizations (fewer features to (fewer features to
characterize more general natural classes)characterize more general natural classes)

11. antecedents (2)antecedents (2)

concern for concern for explanationexplanation in linguistics and in linguistics and
search for universalssearch for universals

from Am. structuralism:from Am. structuralism:

explicitness and formal statementexplicitness and formal statement

assumptions about morphological structureassumptions about morphological structure

elimination of redundancy elimination of redundancy  Jakobson’s Jakobson’s
information theory; the phonological system information theory; the phonological system
as a branching diagram for segments (a as a branching diagram for segments (a
sequence of successive choices)sequence of successive choices)

12. 1968

13. Chapter One. Chapter One. SettingSetting..
1. Grammar 1. Grammar
The goal of the descriptive study of a The goal of the descriptive study of a
language is the construction of a language is the construction of a
grammar. We may think of a language grammar. We may think of a language
as a set of sentences, each with an ideal as a set of sentences, each with an ideal
phonetic form and an associated phonetic form and an associated
intrinsic semantic interpretation. The intrinsic semantic interpretation. The
grammar of the language is the system grammar of the language is the system
of rules that specifies this sound-of rules that specifies this sound-
meaning correspondence.meaning correspondence.

14. The speaker produces a signal with a certain The speaker produces a signal with a certain
intended meaning; the hearer receives a signal intended meaning; the hearer receives a signal
and attempts to determine what was said and and attempts to determine what was said and
what was intended. The performance of the what was intended. The performance of the
speaker or hearer is a complex matter that speaker or hearer is a complex matter that
involves many factors. One fundamental factor involves many factors. One fundamental factor
involved in the speaker-hearer’s performance is involved in the speaker-hearer’s performance is
his knowledge of the grammar that determines his knowledge of the grammar that determines
an intrinsic connection of sound and meaning for an intrinsic connection of sound and meaning for
each sentence. We refer to this knowledge—for each sentence. We refer to this knowledge—for
the most part, obviously, unconscious knowledgethe most part, obviously, unconscious knowledge
—as the speaker- hearer’s “—as the speaker- hearer’s “competencecompetence.” .”
Competence, in this sense, is not to be confused Competence, in this sense, is not to be confused
with performance.with performance.

15. PerformancePerformance, that is, what the speaker-, that is, what the speaker-
hearer actually does, is based not only on hearer actually does, is based not only on
his knowledge of the language, but on his knowledge of the language, but on
many other factors as well—factors such many other factors as well—factors such
as memory restrictions, inattention, as memory restrictions, inattention,
distraction, nonlinguistic knowledge and distraction, nonlinguistic knowledge and
beliefs, and so on. beliefs, and so on. We may, if we like, We may, if we like,
think of the study of competence as the think of the study of competence as the
study of the potential performance of an study of the potential performance of an
idealized speaker-hearer who is idealized speaker-hearer who is
unaffected by such grammatically unaffected by such grammatically
irrelevant factorsirrelevant factors..

16. We use the term “We use the term “grammargrammar” with a systematic ” with a systematic
ambiguity. On the one hand, the term refers ambiguity. On the one hand, the term refers
to the explicit theory constructed by the to the explicit theory constructed by the
linguist and proposed as a description of the linguist and proposed as a description of the
speaker’s competence. On the other hand, we speaker’s competence. On the other hand, we
use the term to refer to this competence use the term to refer to this competence
itself. The former usage is familiar; the latter, itself. The former usage is familiar; the latter,
though perhaps less familiar, is equally though perhaps less familiar, is equally
appropriate. The person who has acquired appropriate. The person who has acquired
knowledge of a language has internalized a knowledge of a language has internalized a
system of rules that determines sound-system of rules that determines sound-
meaning connections for indefinitely many meaning connections for indefinitely many
sentences.sentences.

17. 2. Linguistic universals2. Linguistic universals
General linguistics attempts to develop a theory General linguistics attempts to develop a theory
of natural language as such, a system of of natural language as such, a system of
hypotheses concerning the essential properties hypotheses concerning the essential properties
of any human language. These properties of any human language. These properties
determine the class of possible natural languages determine the class of possible natural languages
and the class of potential grammars for some and the class of potential grammars for some
human language. The essential properties of human language. The essential properties of
natural language are often referred to as natural language are often referred to as
“linguistic universals.” Certain apparent linguistic “linguistic universals.” Certain apparent linguistic
universals may be the result merely of historical universals may be the result merely of historical
accident. For example, if only inhabitants of accident. For example, if only inhabitants of
Tasmania survive a future war,Tasmania survive a future war,

18. it might be a property of all then existing it might be a property of all then existing
languages that pitch is not used to languages that pitch is not used to
differentiate lexical items. Accidental differentiate lexical items. Accidental
universals of this sort are of no importance for universals of this sort are of no importance for
general linguistics, which attempts rather to general linguistics, which attempts rather to
characterize the range of possible human characterize the range of possible human
languages. languages. The significant linguistic universalsThe significant linguistic universals
are those that must be assumed to be are those that must be assumed to be
available to the child learning a language as an available to the child learning a language as an
a priori, innate endowment. That there must a priori, innate endowment. That there must
be a rich system of a priori properties—of be a rich system of a priori properties—of
essential linguistic universals—is fairly obvious essential linguistic universals—is fairly obvious
from the following empirical observations. from the following empirical observations.

19. Every normal child acquires an extremely Every normal child acquires an extremely
intricate and abstract grammar, the intricate and abstract grammar, the
properties of which are much properties of which are much
underdetermined by the available data. This underdetermined by the available data. This
takes place with great speed, under takes place with great speed, under
conditions that are far from ideal, and there is conditions that are far from ideal, and there is
little significant variation among children who little significant variation among children who
may differ greatly in intelligence and may differ greatly in intelligence and
experience. The search for essential linguistic experience. The search for essential linguistic
universals is, in effect, the study of the a priori universals is, in effect, the study of the a priori
facultfacultéé de langage that makes language de langage that makes language
acquisition possible under the given acquisition possible under the given
conditions of time and access to data.conditions of time and access to data.