Psych 56L/ Ling 51: Acquisition of LanguageAnnouncementsFinding the WordsSpeech isn’t neatly dividedWord segmentation is hardSlide 6Slide 7Some clues children use to solve itSlide 9Slide 10Figuring out the referent of a wordThe Mapping ProblemOne solution: fast mappingSlide 14Slide 15Knowing what to guessSlide 17Slide 18Slide 19Slide 20Slide 21Slide 22Slide 23Slide 24Slide 25Slide 26Slide 27Slide 28Slide 29Slide 30Slide 31Slide 32A quick map of the proposalsSlide 34Slide 35Slide 36Slide 37Slide 38Learning Semantic OrganizationWords != ConceptsSlide 41Slide 42Slide 43Slide 44Slide 45Slide 46Slide 47Slide 48Slide 49How the input can helpSlide 51Slide 52Slide 53Slide 54Slide 55Slide 56Slide 57Lexical Development RecapQuestions?Psych 56L/ Ling 51:Acquisition of LanguageLecture 10Lexical Development IIAnnouncementsHomework 2 assigned today 11/5/08, due 11/12/08 in classPlease pick up midterm and homework 1 if you haven’t alreadyFinding the Words QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.“Look! There’s a goblin!”QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.Goblin? Agoblin?Speech isn’t neatly dividedLooktheresagoblin! = Look! There’s a goblin!Word segmentation: process of dividing a stream of speech into the units that adults attach meaning to - wordslUkDE®z´gablIn = lUk DE®z ´ gablInQuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.Word segmentation is hardFather: Who wants some mango for dessert?s´m meNgoChild: What’s a semmango? s´mmeNgoExamples of real errors that children make:QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.Word segmentation is hardExamples of real errors that children make:“…and to the flag of the United States…” yunajt´d stets“…and to the flag of the nine of states…” najn ´v stetsPledge of allegiance renditions:“…and to the republic for which it stands…” wItS It stQndz“…and to the republic for witches stands…” witS´z stQndzQuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.Word segmentation is hardExamples of real errors that children make:“the answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind.” Qns´® maj f®End iz“the ants are my friends, they’re blowin’ in the wind.” Qns a® maj f®Endz DE®Attempting Bob Dylan lyricsQuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.Some clues children use to solve itWords recur in the sound stream - children can pick up on the regularities in the sound sequencesFrom Pirate’s Treasure, written by Carol Moore"Ten steps from the porch and twenty steps from the rose bushes," growled Bluebeard in Jimmy's dream one night. "There be treasure there! Aawrgh." QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.Some clues children use to solve itThe stress patterns (rhythm) of the language can also give children clues about where words start and end.From Pirate’s Treasure, written by Carol Moore"TEN STEPS from the PORCH and TWENty STEPS from the ROSE BUshes," GROWLED BLUEBEARD in JImmy's DREAM ONE NIGHT. "THERE BE TREAsure THERE! AAWRGH." QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.Some clues children use to solve itMotherese - with its exaggerated pitch, longer pauses, and shorter phrases - may help.QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.Figuring out the referent of a word QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.“Look! There’s a goblin!”QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.Goblin = ????QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a decompress orare need ed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed t o see this pict ure.The Mapping ProblemEven if something is explicitly labeled in the input (“Look! There’s a goblin!”), how does the child know what specifically that word refers to? (Is it the head? The feet? The staff? The combination of eyes and hands? Attached goblin parts?…)Quine (1960): An infinite number of hypotheses about word meaning are possible given the input the child has. That is, the input underspecifies the word’s meaning.So how do children figure it out? Obviously, they do….One solution: fast mappingChildren begin by making an initial fast mapping between a new word they hear and its likely meaning. They guess, and then modify the guess as more input comes in.Experimental evidence of fast mapping (Dollaghan 1985, Mervis & Bertrand 1994)QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.ballbearkitty[unknown]QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.One solution: fast mappingChildren begin by making an initial fast mapping between a new word they hear and its likely meaning. They guess, and then modify the guess as more input comes in.Experimental evidence of fast mapping (Dollaghan 1985, Mervis & Bertrand 1994)QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.ballbearkitty[unknown]QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.“Can I have the ball?”One solution: fast mappingChildren begin by making an initial fast mapping between a new word they hear and its likely meaning. They guess, and then modify the guess as more input comes in.Experimental evidence of fast mapping (Dollaghan 1985, Mervis & Bertrand 1994)QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.ballbearkitty[unknown]QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.“Can I have the zib?”20 monthsKnowing what to guessLexical constraintsWhole-object assumption: new words refers to entire object, rather than some subset of itQuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.Goblin =QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.Knowing what to guessLexical constraintsMutual-exclusivity assumption: assume new word does not overlap in meaning with