Dataset Information

A Reappraisal of Dependency Length Minimization as a Linguistic Universal.

ABSTRACT: Dependency length minimization is widely regarded as a cross-linguistic universal reflecting syntactic complexity in natural languages. A typical way to operationalize dependency length in corpus-based studies has been to count the number of words between syntactically related words. However, such a formulation ignores the syntactic nature of the linguistic material that intervenes a dependency. In this work, we investigate if the number of syntactic heads (rather than the number of words) that intervene a dependency better captures the syntactic complexity across languages. We demonstrate that the dependency length minimization constraint in terms of the number of words could arise as a consequence of constraints on the intervening heads and the tree properties such as node arity. The current study highlights the importance of syntactic heads as central regions of structure building during processing. The results show that when syntactically related words are nonadjacent, increased structure building in the intervening region is avoided.

SUBMITTER: Yadav H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9692064 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

A Reappraisal of Dependency Length Minimization as a Linguistic Universal.

Yadav Himanshu H Mittal Shubham S Husain Samar S

Open mind : discoveries in cognitive science 20220915

Dependency length minimization is widely regarded as a cross-linguistic universal reflecting syntactic complexity in natural languages. A typical way to operationalize dependency length in corpus-based studies has been to count the number of words between syntactically related words. However, such a formulation ignores the <i>syntactic nature</i> of the linguistic material that intervenes a dependency. In this work, we investigate if the number of syntactic heads (rather than the number of words ...[more]

PMID: 36439069

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundLinguists and psychologists have explained the remarkable similarities in the orderings of linguistic elements across languages by suggesting that our inborn ability for language makes available certain innately wired primitives. Different types of adjectives, adverbs, and other elements in the functional spine are considered to occupy fixed positions via innate hierarchies that determine orderings such as A>B>C, banning other permutations (*B>C>A). The goal of this research is to tap into the nature and rigidity of such hierarchies by comparing what happens when people process orderings that either comply with them or violate them.MethodN = 170 neurotypical, adult speakers completed a timed forced choice task that featured stimuli showing a combination of two adjectives and a Spelke-object (e.g., 'I bought a square black table'). Two types of responses were collected: (i) acceptability judgments on a 3-point Likert scale that featured the options 'correct', 'neither correct nor wrong', and 'wrong' and (ii) reaction times. The task featured three conditions: 1. size adjective > nationality adjective, 2. color adjective > shape adjective, 3. subjective comment adjective > material adjective. Each condition had two orders. In the congruent order, the adjective pair was ordered in agreement with what is traditionally accepted as dictated by the universal hierarchy. In the incongruent order, the ordering was reversed, thus the hierarchy was violated.ResultsIn the first experiment, the results of n = 140 monolinguals showed that across conditions, both congruent and incongruent orders were generally accepted as correct. For 2/3 conditions, the difference in acceptability ratings between congruent and incongruent orders did not reach statistical significance. Using time as a window to processing, reaction times showed that incongruent orders do not take longer to process than congruent ones, as should be the case if the former were treated as being licensed under some type of special condition (e.g., contrastive focus) that reverses the unmarked order and legitimizes the violation of the hierarchy. In the second experiment, the results of n = 30 bidialectals, tested in both language varieties, corroborated the findings of the first experiment.ConclusionsOur findings do not provide evidence for an innate hierarchy for adjective ordering that imposes one rigid, unmarked order. We discuss the importance of notions such as subjectivity and inherentness, and show that for some conditions, not only is there no evidence for a hard constraint that bans incongruent orders, but even simple preferences of congruent orders over incongruent ones are hard to discern. Capturing the bigger picture, given that both the hierarchies and their legit permutations have been described as innate, our results reduce the amount of primitives that are cast as innate, eventually offering a deflationist approach to human linguistic cognition.

Project description:BackgroundTransvaginal measurement of cervical length (CL) has been advocated as a screening tool to prevent preterm birth, but controversy remains regarding the overall utility of universal screening.ObjectiveWe aimed to evaluate the acceptability of a universal CL screening program. Additionally we evaluated risk factors associated with declining screening and subsequent delivery outcomes of women who accepted or declined screening.Study designThis was a retrospective cohort study of transvaginal CL screening at a single institution from July 1, 2011, through December 31, 2014. Institutional protocol recommended transvaginal CL measurement at the time of anatomic survey between 17-23 weeks in all women with singleton, viable pregnancies, without current or planned cerclage, with patients able to opt out. Patients with CL ≤20 mm were considered to have clinically significant cervical shortening and were offered treatment. We assessed acceptance rate, risk factors for declining CL screening, and the trend of acceptance of CL screening over time. We also calculated the prevalence of CL ≤25, ≤20, and ≤15 mm, and estimated the association between CL screening and spontaneous preterm birth.ResultsOf 12,740 women undergoing anatomic survey during the study period, 10,871 (85.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 84.7-85.9%) underwent CL screening. Of those, 215 (2.0%) had a CL ≤25 mm and 131 (1.2%) had a CL ≤20 mm. After the first 6 months of implementation, there was no change in rates of acceptance of CL screening over time (P for trend = .15). Women were more likely to decline CL screening if they were African American (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.17; 95% CI, 1.93-2.44), obese (aOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.06-1.31), multiparous (aOR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.29-1.64), age <35 years (aOR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.08-1.43), or smokers (aOR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.20-1.68). Rates of spontaneous preterm birth <28 weeks were higher in those who declined CL screening (aOR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.33-3.02).ConclusionUniversal CL screening was implemented successfully with 85% of women screened. Overall incidence of short cervix was low and women with significant risk factors for preterm birth were more likely to decline screening. Patients who declined CL screening were more likely to be African American, obese, multiparous, age <35 years, and smokers. Rates of early, but not late, spontaneous preterm birth were significantly higher among women who did not undergo CL screening.

Dataset Information

A Reappraisal of Dependency Length Minimization as a Linguistic Universal.

Publications

A Reappraisal of Dependency Length Minimization as a Linguistic Universal.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets