Adrian Brasoveanu

PAPERS & PRESENTATIONS ¤¤ Optimality Theory:

• 2007. Fusional Reduction and the Logic of Ranking Arguments in OT, co-authored with Alan Prince ¤¤ abstract, slides, handout

31^st Penn Linguistics Colloquium, University of Pennsylvania, February 2007.

• 2006. Ranking Arguments and the Fusional Reduction Algorithm, co-authored with Alan Prince ¤¤ abstract, handout

  Department of Linguistics, UC Santa Cruz.

• 2005. Ranking and Necessity. Part I, co-authored with Alan Prince ¤¤ paper (available as ROA 794)

Understanding a linguistic theory within OT requires an exact characterization of the ranking conditions necessitated by data. We describe (Part I) and justify (Part II) an algorithm which calculates the necessary and sufficient ranking conditions inherent in any collection of candidates and presents them in a maximally concise and informative way. The algorithm, stemming from the original proposal of Brasoveanu (2003), develops in the setting of the fusional ERC theory of Prince (2002).

• 2005. The Maximally Informative Basis and the Fusional Reduction Algorithm, co-authored with Alan Prince  ¤¤ abstract

  Sonderforschungsbereich 632: Information structure, University of Potsdam.

• 2005. Contrast Analysis Aids The Learning of Phonological Underlying Forms, co-authored with John Alderete, Nazarré Merchant, Alan Prince and Bruce Tesar ¤¤ paper, abstract

in the Proceedings of the 24th West Coast Conference on Formal Linguistics (WCCFL 24), J. Alderete et al (eds.), Cascadilla Proceedings Project, Cascadilla Press.

One of the many challenges to be faced in explaining language learning is the interdependence of the phonological mapping and the phonological underlying forms for morphemes. The learner must attempt to infer both simultaneously, based on the surface forms of a language. The present paper presents evidence in support of the idea that observations about surface contrast can inform the learner about the content of underlying forms. More specifically, contrasting outputs for morphemes in a given environment can provide information about underlying forms. We present one way of capitalizing on such information in a learning algorithm, and show how contrast information can combine with phonotactic information to aid learning.

• 2004. The Maximally Informative Basis and the Fusional Reduction Algorithm, co-authored with Alan Prince 

HUMDRUM (Johns Hopkins-Rutgers-UMass Amherst Joint Conference), Rutgers University.

• 2004. Mutually Constraining Strategies in Language Learning, co-authored with Nazarré Merchant, Alan Prince and Bruce Tesar ¤¤ poster

Center for Cognitive Science, Rutgers University (February).

• 2003. Minimal Fusion Normal Form, Rutgers University ms.

It proposes a first version of the Fusional Reduction (FRed) algorithm.

• 2003. SpecIP in Romanian: Preverbal Subjects, Information-Foci  and Non-D-Linked Wh-Phrases ¤¤ paper, abstract

My qualifying paper in syntax; still a rough draft (advisor: Jane Grimshaw).

• 2002. The Interaction of Word Stress and Phrasal Nuclear Pitch Accent in Chickasaw, Rutgers University ms. ¤¤ paper

Please let me know if the pdf files do not display / print properly (abrsvn at gmail.com).