A considerable amount of research in generative syntax over the last decade and a half has been based on the hypothesis that the settings of binary parameters, such as [± null subject], can exhaustively describe the full range of possible grammars of natural languages!. Indeed, the prime example used by Chomky (1981) is the so-called "null subject parameter", which was supposed to correlate a n...

This paper investigates the extent to which segmental substitutions traditionally attributed to articulatory weakening and strengthening through changes in constriction degree are, in fact, caused by aerodynamic, perceptual or other articulatory mechanisms. For that purpose the articulatory, acoustic and distributional characteristics of consonants participating in the implementation of several...

Of SOLID HUMANITY

We describe how substantial domainindependent language-processing systems for French and Spanish were quickly developed by manually adapting an existing English-language system, the SRI Core Language Engine. We explain the adaptation process in detail, and argue that it provides a fairly general recipe for converting a grammar-based system for English into a corresponding one for a Romance lang...