Automated recognition and analysis of a subclass of `slips of the tongue' and a formalism for their conceptual representation in terms of perceptual notions

Abstract

This paper describes a computer system for the automatic recognition and analysis of a subset of phonological slips of the tongue. The system is conceived as a tool to provide maximal automated support for the difficult analytical tasks involved in the study of the phenomenon under consideration. After a brief introduction, Section 2 provides an overview of the current system structure, states the scope of the recognition routines, lists the system objectives, and discusses the system components, their function, and their current capabilities. In addition, the section includes examples of input and output options, traces depicting how a slip of the tongue is processed, and ends with some suggestions as to how the information provided by the programs may be used to help answer research questions.Section 3 describes some of the ideas which have evolved from the programming effort. In particular, a formalism for the representation of the conceptual structure of speech errors as viewed from the listener's point of view is presented. Finally, the predictions made by the proposed framework are related to a set of observed facts.