A Computational Theory of Writing Systems

by Richard Sproat

• ISBN13: 9780521663403
• ISBN10: 0521663407
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-07-03
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

This book develops a formal computational theory of writing systems. It offers specific proposals about the linguistic objects that are represented by orthographic elements; what levels of linguistic representation are involved and how they may differ across writing systems; and what formal constraints hold of the mapping relation between linguistic and orthographic elements. Based on the insights gained, Sproat then proposes a taxonomy of writing systems. The treatment of theoretical linguistic issues and their computational implementation is complemented with discussion of empirical psycholinguistic work on reading and its relevance for the computational model developed here. Throughout, the model is illustrated with a number of detailed case studies of writing systems around the world. This book will be of interest to students and researchers in a variety of fields, including theoretical and computational linguistics, the psycholinguistics of reading and writing, and speech technology.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	xiii
List of Tables	xv
Preface	xvii
Reading Devices	1	(33)
Text-to-Speech Conversion: A Brief Introduction	2	(4)
The Task of Pronouncing Aloud: A Model	6	(19)
A Simple Example from Russian	6	(5)
Formal Definitions	11	(1)
AVMs and Annotation Graphs	11	(2)
Definitions	13	(1)
Axioms	14	(1)
Central Claims of the Theory	15	(1)
Regularity	16	(3)
Consistency	19	(1)
Further Issues	20	(1)
Why a Constrained Theory of Writing Systems?	21	(2)
Orthography and the ``Segmental'' Assumption	23	(2)
Terminology and Conventions	25	(4)
Appendix: An Overview of Finite-State Automata and Transducers	29	(5)
Regular Languages and Finite-State Automata	29	(1)
Regular Relations and Finite-State Transducers	30	(4)
Regularity	34	(33)
Planar Regular Languages and Planar Regular Relations	35	(6)
The Locality Hypothesis	41	(1)
Planar Arrangements: Examples	42	(13)
Korean Hankul	43	(2)
Devanagari	45	(2)
Pahawh Hmong	47	(1)
Chinese	48	(6)
A Counterexample from Ancient Egyptian	54	(1)
Cross-Writing-System Variation in the SLU	55	(4)
Macroscopic Catenation: Text Direction	59	(3)
Sample Chinese Characters and Their Analyses	62	(5)
ORL Depth and Consistency	67	(64)
Russian and Belarusian Orthography: A Case Study	67	(12)
Vowel Reduction	68	(5)
Regressive Palatalization	73	(3)
Lexical Marking in Russian and Other Issues	76	(3)
Summary of Russian and Belarusian	79	(1)
English	79	(10)
The Orthographic Representation of Serbo-Croatian Consonant Devoicing	89	(6)
Methods and Materials	91	(1)
Results	92	(3)
Cyclicity in Orthography	95	(1)
Surface Orthographic Constraints	96	(3)
English Deep and Shallow ORLs	99	(32)
Lexical Representations	99	(28)
Rules for the Deep ORL	127	(2)
Rules for the Shallow ORL	129	(2)
Linguistic Elements	131	(32)
Taxonomies of Writing Systems: A Brief Overview	132	(12)
Gelb	132	(1)
Sampson	133	(1)
DeFrancis	134	(1)
No Full Writing System Is Semasiographic	134	(1)
All Full Writing Is Phonographic	135	(1)
Hankul Is Not Featural	135	(4)
A New Proposal	139	(4)
Summary	143	(1)
Chinese Writing	144	(10)
Japanese Writing	154	(6)
Some Further Examples	160	(3)
Syriac Syame	160	(1)
Reduplication Markers	161	(1)
Cancellation Signs	162	(1)
Psycholinguistic Evidence	163	(22)
Multiple Routes and the Orthographic Depth Hypothesis	165	(6)
Evidence for the Orthographic Depth Hypothesis	168	(2)
Evidence against the Orthographic Depth Hypothesis	170	(1)
``Shallow'' Processing in ``Deep'' Orthographies	171	(7)
Phonological Access in Chinese	171	(2)
Phonological Access in Japanese	173	(2)
Evidence for the Function of Phonetic Components in Chinese	175	(1)
Summary	176	(2)
Connectionist Models: The Seidenberg-McClelland Model	178	(6)
Outline of the Model	179	(2)
What Is Wrong with the Model?	181	(3)
Summary	184	(1)
Further Issues	185	(32)
Adaptation of Writing Systems: The Case of Manx Gaelic	185	(7)
Orthographic Reforms: The Case of Dutch	192	(5)
The 1954 Spelling Rules	193	(2)
The 1995 Spelling Rules	195	(2)
Other Forms of Notation: Numerical Notation and Its Relation to Number Names	197	(7)
Abbreviatory Devices	204	(5)
Non-Bloomfieldian Views on Writing	209	(3)
Postscript	212	(5)
Bibliography	217	(10)
Index	227