Abstract
This paper investigates whether and how speakers track the relative frequency of different patterns of alternation in the lexicon, by investigating speakers’ behavior when they are faced with unpredictability in allomorph selection. We conducted a wug test on Seoul Korean verb paradigms, testing whether speakers can generalize reliable lexical patterns. The test was performed in two directions. In forward formation test, the pre-vocalic base and pre-consonantal non-base forms were the stimulus and response, respectively, whereas in backward formation test, the stimulus–response relation was switched. The results show patterns approximating statistical patterns in Seoul Korean verb lexicon, thus confirming the lexical frequency matching reported in many previous studies. However, contrary to the conventional assumption, the results of the backward formation test are consistent with lexical frequencies relevant for the forward formation, not backward formation. This observed asymmetry is broadly consistent with the single base hypothesis (Albright 2002a, b, 2005, 2008), in which forward, as opposed to backward formation rules play a privileged role in speakers’ morphological grammar.
Highlights
JONGHO JUN & ADAM ALBRIGHTThis paper aims to find out whether and how speakers track the relative frequency of different patterns of alternation in the lexicon, by investigating speakers’behavior when they are faced with unpredictability in allomorph selection.Unpredictability may arise when there is phonological neutralization in certain parts of the paradigm, and it may arise in cases of exceptionalprocesses
In the remainder of this section, we provide background information about Seoul Korean verbal paradigms, presenting the probabilities of forward and backward formation rules for the alternation classes of Seoul Korean verbs, based on Albright & Hayes’s (2002, 2003) minimal generalization learner
In order to minimize the possibility that the experimental stimuli contain phonologically unnatural sequences, most stimuli were created through minor modification of real but obsolete Middle Korean verbs or adjectives, which are phonotactically similar to words that survived into Modern Korean
Summary
JONGHO JUN & ADAM ALBRIGHTThis paper aims to find out whether and how speakers track the relative frequency of different patterns of alternation in the lexicon, by investigating speakers’behavior when they are faced with unpredictability in allomorph selection.Unpredictability may arise when there is phonological neutralization in certain parts of the paradigm, and it may arise in cases of exceptional (or ‘irregular’)processes. Behavior when they are faced with unpredictability in allomorph selection. Unpredictability may arise when there is phonological neutralization in certain parts of the paradigm, and it may arise in cases of exceptional (or ‘irregular’). In both cases, the language contains some stems that alternate in a certain way within their paradigms, while other stems show different (or no) alternations, but this difference cannot be attributed to the phonological context. The language contains some stems that alternate in a certain way within their paradigms, while other stems show different (or no) alternations, but this difference cannot be attributed to the phonological context It is unpredictable based on phonological properties of a stem whether and how it alternates. In Dutch, open syllable lengthening does not apply to all noun stems, e.g.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
