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!! This

THE COMPETITION MODEL

is a functional approach which assumes that all linguistic performance involves between and .

!! The

of a lexical item is represented by its properties, and its by its properties.

!! The

forms of strings of lexical items are word-order patterns and morphological inflections, and their functions are grammatical.

!! For

example, for the word

Basic features of the Competition Model:

!! the !! the

is represented by the sounds [hors]; is the meaning of a four-legged, hayeating animal.

challenges the two fundamental bases on which most of the theories rest: , and a approach to language. , it results from the as those involved in other kinds of learning. does from its inseparable. the linguistic of language ; they argue that the two are sees

!! In

the sentence , the word order of horses before and hay after the verb are ; the are to convey that horses is the subject and hay is the object.
!! The !! its

!! It

inflection -s on horses is also a form; function is to convey that more than one horse is being referred to.

!! It

!! It

is basically a theory of with how language is used.

, so it is concerned
!!

All linguistic performance involves and . varying

between
!! The
1.! 2.!

. task facing the L2 learner is to discover:

are characterized as being of in different languages is basic

the system of for L1 acquisition.

Which forms are used to realize which functions in the L2, and What weights to attach to the use of individual forms in the performance of specific functions.

model takes its name from the competition that arises from the different devices or cues that signal a particular function.

This is what is meant by form-function mapping

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!! This

is accomplished by in which are associated with a particular function, and by recognizing what to assign each possible cue. cues are available simultaneously in . input:

!! All

!! Multiple

of these possible cues are illustrated in the following sentences : The cow kicks the horse. The cow kick the horses.* Him kicks the horse.* The fence kicks the horse. in by as or

!! For

example, for the grammatical function of subject, possible cues are word order , agreement, case marking, and animacy (i.e. capacity for volitional action).

The relative English over the other possibilities can be tested presenting native speakers with sentences such these and asking them to identify the subject agent in each (i.e. who/what does the kicking).

is driven primarily by the

mappings that a

: when the cue is present, whether or not it has any contrastive effect.
!!

!! If

the probability is high, the cue is reliable.

In example (a) above (The cow kicks the horse), the third person singular -s on the verb agrees with both noun phrases and so the agreement cue tells nothing about which is the subject.

!! The

following determinants of are also discussed by MacWhinney (2001:7475; see Ellis 1994:37377):
: how the . The vast majority of English sentences have a subject before the verb, so the mapping of word-order form to subject function is very frequent.

: how often the cue leads to a correct interpretation when it is used in comparison to other potential cues.

!! Research
!! some

has shown that:

learners ultimately in favor of L2, some compromise and systems, and

!! while

!! some

between the languages in this aspect of processing.

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!! the

forms of language are determined by the communicative functions they perform;

!! The

Competition Model uses connectionist accounts to model the interaction between lexical mappings. : The brain uses a type of computation that emphasises patterns of connectivity and activation.

1997: 115)

(MacWhinney,

What is connectionism?
!! Also
!! !!

known as:

are explained as computations carried out by interconnected networks of simple units

Parallel distributed processing (PDP) Artificial neural networks (ANN) or just neural networks

network is an input-output system unit is an input-output unit

!! An !! No !! An
!!

alternative to symbolic representation language of thought attempt to model neural processes in the brain:
!! Each

Parallel processing of information !! Network of connections between neurons/units

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consist of four parts: , and

Units and connections are arranged in input-output layers, usually with one or more hidden layer.

are to each other in a network. In response to input, a unit is , sending signals to other units that it is connected with. The strength of those signals is determined by the between the connected units. sent from one unit to another can be either or .
.5 unit connection unit

connection weight

Close-up of one unit

A unit is activated when the combined weights of its input exceed a set level. E.g. cat recognition
Input threshold: .8
Meows Fur Pointed ears Whiskers

Output strength: .5

a1, a2, and a3 represent the connection weights of the input it receives from other units. The three ajs represent the connection weights of its output to other units.

Input threshold: .9 Output: its a cat

Note: Every connection has a weight, but only a few of the weights are shown for simplicity.

A tribute to interactive activation at: http://srsc.ulb.ac.be/pdp/iac/IAC.html Built in 1981. Demonstration of a neural network illustrating an artificial network that exhibits many properties of human memory.

!! Mine/rock !! NETtalk:

discrimination

http://dli.iiit.ac.in/ijcai/IJCAI-87-VOL1/PDF/066.pdf

!! Forming !! Face

past tenses of English verbs recognition (men vs. women, wearing sunglasses)

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!! Language

learning can be explained in terms of input rather than innate principles and parameters. validity is the key construct in this explanation.

!! Cue

!! The

most basic determinant of cue strength is , while the most important and most
!!

basic cue validity dimension is the .

and the use of language in real time is continually subject to these limitations. Competition Model focuses on the role of underlying conceptual interpretation in determining the utilization of processing capacity.

cue is reliable it it leads to the right functional

!! The

choice whenever it is present.

Concluding remarks
!! The

strength of the Competition Model is that it provides a convincing account of a number of aspects of L2 acquisition which any theory must consider:
!! Role !! The

of the L1, effect of input, and !! the gradual way in which native like ability is acquired.
!! The

Competeition Model is a powerful theory in that, like Processability Theory, it affords very precise predictions about L2 acquisition.