Whamit!

Speaker: Irene Heim (MIT)
Title: A better dissertation
Time: Wednesday, September 25th, 1pm - 2pm
Location: 32-D461

Abstract: I will revisit the transition from the second chapter to the third chapter of my 1982 dissertation “The semantics of definite and indefinite noun phrases”. My purpose is to isolate and throw light on some of the individual ideas in the dynamic package deal. I will not address (let alone remedy) any empirical problems (such as bathroom sentence, weak readings, proportion problem).

Prerequisites: Familiarity with the technical core and conclusion of chapter II of Heim 1982 (i.e., sections II.2, II.3, and II.8). Familiarity with how trivalent truth functions account for presupposition projection. The handout will be technically self-contained but not an introduction to this background material.

Speaker: Edward Flemming
Title: Generating and parsing f0 contours using a model of f0 production
Time: Monday, September 23rd, 5pm - 6:30pm
Location: 32-D831

Abstract: I will present ongoing work aimed at developing a framework for formulating phonetic grammars of tone realization that can derive complete fundamental frequency (f0) trajectories from phonological specifications.

The proposed framework consists of two main components: A model of f0 production that maps time-aligned tone targets to f0 trajectories, and a set of weighted constraints that select the optimal targets for a given phonological representation. The constraints can evaluate properties of both the underlying targets and the resulting f0 trajectory.

In addition to generating f0 contours, the model of f0 production can also be fitted to observed f0 contours to infer the underlying f0 targets, effectively parsing the f0 contour. This proves particularly valuable when analyzing tones with targets that are difficult to locate because they correspond to a turning point in the f0 contour that is not a local maximum or minimum (often referred to as ‘elbow’ targets).

This analytical approach will be illustrated through a study of variation in the realization of the Mandarin rising tone as a function of speech rate.

Speaker: Peter Grishin, Cora Lesure, Elise Newman, Norvin Richards, J. Cooper Roberts (MIT)
Title: What’s new with the Passamaquoddy Working Group?
Time: Thursday, September 26th, 12:30pm - 2pm
Location: 32-D461

Abstract: Passamaquoddy is an endangered Algonquian language spoken in parts of Maine, USA and New Brunswick, Canada (the dialect spoken in Canada is called Wolastoqey). In this Ling-Lunch, members of the Department’s Passamaquoddy Working Group—a coalition of faculty members, postdocs, and students interested in investigating the language and improving its vitality through pedagogy—will present some preliminary results of a recent fieldwork trip. Group members will discuss a variety of topics, including the syntax of the inverse and how it relates to control, different kinds of movement and its triggering of certain verb types, the syntax-semantics of container constructions, and more. Their findings not only improve our understanding of Passamaquoddy, but also inform linguistic theory in general. And hopefully some of you will be enticed to join us and explore some of these (or other) topics!