Connectionists: Computational Modeling of Bilingualism Special Issue

[Janet Wiles]

Recurrent neural networks can represent, and in some cases learn and generalise classes of languages beyond finite state machines. For a review, of their capabilities see the excellent edited book by Kolen and Kramer. e.g., ch 8 is on "Representation beyond finite states"; and ch9 is "Universal Computation and Super-Turing Capabilities".

Kolen and Kramer (2001) "A Field Guide Dynamical Recurrent Networks", IEEE Press.

From: connectionists-bounces at mailman.srv.cs.cmu.edu<mailto:connectionists-bounces at mailman.srv.cs.cmu.edu> [mailto:connectionists-bounces at mailman.srv.cs.cmu.edu] On Behalf Of Juyang Weng
Sent: Sunday, 24 March 2013 9:17 AM
To: connectionists at mailman.srv.cs.cmu.edu<mailto:connectionists at mailman.srv.cs.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Connectionists: Computational Modeling of Bilingualism Special Issue

Ping Li:

As far as I understand, traditional connectionist architectures cannot do abstraction well as Marvin Minsky, Michael Jordan
and many others correctly stated.  For example, traditional neural networks cannot learn a finite automaton (FA) until recently (i.e.,
the proof of our Developmental Network).  We all know that FA is the basis for all probabilistic symbolic networks (e.g., Markov models)
but they are all not connectionist.

After seeing your announcement, I am confused with the book title
"Bilingualism Special Issue: Computational Modeling of Bilingualism" but with your comment "most of the models are based on connectionist architectures."

Without further clarifications from you, I have to predict that these connectionist architectures in the book are all grossly wrong in terms
of brain-capable connectionist natural language processing, since they cannot learn an FA.   This means that they cannot generalize to state-equivalent but unobserved word sequences.   Without this basic capability required for natural language processing, how can they claim connectionist natural language processing, let alone bilingualism?

I am concerned that many papers proceed with specific problems without understanding the fundamental problems of the traditional connectionism. The fact that the biological brain is connectionist does not necessarily mean that all connectionist researchers know about the brain's connectionism.

-John Weng
On 3/22/13 6:08 PM, Ping Li wrote:
Dear Colleagues,

A Special Issue on Computational Modeling of Bilingualism has been published. Most of the models are based on connectionist architectures.

All the papers are available for free viewing until April 30, 2013 (follow the link below to its end):

http://cup.linguistlist.org/2013/03/bilingualism-special-issue-computational-modeling-of-bilingualism/

Please let me know if you have difficulty accessing the above link or viewing any of the PDF files on Cambridge University Press's website.

With kind regards,

Ping Li


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Ping Li, Ph.D. | Professor of Psychology, Linguistics, Information Sciences & Technology  |  Co-Chair, Inter-College Graduate Program in Neuroscience | Co-Director, Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition | Pennsylvania State University  | University Park, PA 16802, USA  |
Editor, Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, Cambridge University Press | Associate Editor: Journal of Neurolinguistics, Elsevier Science Publisher
Email: pul8 at psu.edu<mailto:pul8 at psu.edu>  | URL: http://cogsci.psu.edu<http://cogsci.psu.edu/>
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Juyang (John) Weng, Professor

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

MSU Cognitive Science Program and MSU Neuroscience Program

428 S Shaw Ln Rm 3115

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 48824 USA

Tel: 517-353-4388

Fax: 517-432-1061

Email: weng at cse.msu.edu<mailto:weng at cse.msu.edu>

URL: http://www.cse.msu.edu/~weng/

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