Sound System Differentiation Through Time
Active from 2000 - 2002
The sound structure of language changes over time due to the interaction of socio-cultural and communicative factors. We hypothesize that the socio-cultural factors induce change, whereas the communicative factors define the direction of change. In this research, we develop generative models of language in order to examine the relative effects of these factors on the rate of change and to predict different paths of sound change. The goal is to understand the process by which languages differentiate through time.
Melissa Redford Postdoctoral Alumni redford [at] cs utexas edu
Abrupt And Gradual Sound Change In An Expanding Lexicon Melissa A. Redford and Risto Miikkulainen Technical Report AI01-289, Department of Computer Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 2001. 2001