LINGUIST List 8.305

Sun Mar 2 1997

Disc: Analogical Modeling Vs. Jaeger et al

Editor for this issue: T. Daniel Seely <seelylinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Bill Eggington, Analogical Modeling Vs. Jaeger et al.

Discussion:

Analogical Modeling and the English Past Tense
A Reply to Jaeger et al. (Language, October 1996) 

In a recent article in Language, Jeri Jaeger and her colleagues have
presented behavioral data (reaction times) and PET scan data on the
generation of English past-tense forms which they argue are
inconsistent with various 'single system' approaches to modeling
English verb form morphology, including Skousen's analogical
approach. Unfortunately, the article mischaracterizes Skousen's
approach so seriously as to make it impossible for Jaeger et al. to
test it by comparing their results to the predictions of the model. 
A more accurate characterization of the analogical approach reveals
that far from disconfirming it, the data reported in Jaeger et al.
are completely compatible with the published descriptions of it. 

The full text of this article can be found at the URL: 		

http://english.byu.edu/jaeger.htm

Steve Chandler
Department of English
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho 83844-1102
chandleruidaho.edu

Royal Skousen
English Department
Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah 84602-6280
royal_skousenbyu.edu
*********
Dr. William Eggington
3164 JKHB, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602 USA.
Ph: (801) 378-3483; Fax: (801) 378-4720
e-mail: william_eggingtonbyu.edu
*********