Syllable-level regularities
• learned with limited, or no orthography
• learned from variable context (33% filler items)
• spontaneously transferred to new word positions
Co-occurrence regularities
• no evidence for tracking by children/infants
Word-recognition task
• can be used with 5-year-olds
• results converge with headturn preference results
• permits multiple comparisons
• repeating vs novel
• same vs different
3. Phonotactic learning
• starts early
• remains flexible
• affects speech processing
e.g., PLok vs PTak in label learning
(e.g., MacKenzie et al., 2012)
3
4. How are phonotactics represented?
dap vs dah
syllable-level
P often ends syllables
H does not
A & P often co-occur
A & H do not
co-occurrences
4
nAP
APple
adAPt
cAPable
imPAct
naP
cuP
sleeP
naPkin
recePtion
5. How are phonotactics represented?
dap vs dah
syllable-level
P often ends syllables
H does not
syllable
coda
a pd
co-occurrences
a pd
5
A & P often co-occur
A & H do not
6. How are phonotactics represented?
✓ ouTPut ✓
(✗) PermiT ✓
(✓) sePTic ✗
c v C.C v c
baT.Pev
6
syllable
onset
P e v
syllable
coda
b a T .
co-occurrences syllable-level
cluster
P e vb a T
7. 7
Support for syllable-level representation
from artificial languages
onsetcoda
syllablesyllable
(Bernard & Onishi, 2013)
b a F . P e v
t i D . Z e k
t u F . Z e b
t u Z . F e b
vs.
train:
test:
coda coda
syllablesyllable
(e.g., Dell et al., 2000)
some consonants are better
syllable codas than others
from natural language
f a N G f a H
k e N G
k e H
vs.
8. 8
Support for co-occurence representation
(e.g., Richtsmeier et al., 2009)
within words, some consonant
co-occurrences are more
frequent than others
t u F P e b
t u F Z e b
vs.
test:
(Bernard & Onishi, 2013)
from artificial languagesfrom natural language
b o P K e m
vs.
co-occur
b a F P e v
t i D Z e k
train:
__KT__ __PK__
b o K T e m
12. 12
Key Manipulation
• Train with medial consonants:
• restricted syllable positions
onsets codas unrestricted
P , Z F , D b , k , t , v
CVC
syllable
onset
(start)
coda
(end)
13. 13
• Train with medial consonants:
• restricted syllable positions
• restricted cluster pairings
Key Manipulation
clusters
FP , DZ
onsets codas unrestricted
P , Z F , D b , k , t , v
15. 15
Key Manipulation
• Test in medial positions comparing:
• same clusters
• different clusters
• Train with medial consonants:
• restricted syllable positions
• restricted cluster pairings
baF.Pev tiD.Zek
vuF.Pet teD.Zev
vuF.Zet teD.Pev
16. baF.Pev
vib.ket
kut.veb
tiD.Zek
baF.Pev
…vib.ket
tiD.Zek
TRAINING
(presented 3x)
48 training items
24 filler items
TEST
repeating:
8 training items
8 filler items
novel:
8 same items
8 different items
16
experimenter
child
YES ,
we heard it
when playing
baF.Pev
trial 1
YES ,
we heard it
when playing
vuF.Pet
trial 2
YES ,
we heard it
when playing
vuF.Zet
trial 3
YES ,
we heard it
when playing
vib.ket
trial 4
FALSE
recognition
32. 32
co-occurrences
cluster
b a F P e v
syllable-level
syllable
onset
syllable
coda
b a F . P e v
adults ✓
5yos ✓ Ex 2
11mos ✓ Ex 4
adults ✓
5yos (✗) Ex 1
11mos (✗) Ex 3
33. Summary
Syllable-level regularities
• learned with limited, or no orthography
• learned from variable context (33% filler items)
• spontaneously transferred to new word positions
Co-occurrence regularities
• no evidence for tracking by children/infants
33
34. Word-recognition task
• can be used with 5-year-olds
• results converge with headturn preference results
• permits multiple comparisons
• repeating vs novel
• same vs different
Summary
34
35. How are phonotactics represented?
dap vs dah
P often ends syllables
H does notsyllable
coda
c u P
syllable
coda
syllable
r e c e P t i o n
syllable
n a P k i n
syllable
coda
syllable
syllable
coda
s l e e P
35
36. Thanks to
Research supported by
Participating adults, parents, and children
Kris Onishi
Ramsey Cardwell
Julie Chobert
Melissa Ferland
Cindy Fisher
AJ Orena
Esther Schott
to AB, to MF, and to KOto AB to ES
Richard H.
Tomlinson
Fellowship
to KO
