Computational Aspects of Cyclic Optimization

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Gregory M. Kobele
• Subject Area: Applied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics ; General and Comparative Linguistics, Experimental Linguistics, Typology, Non-European Languages
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 439622645

Cyclic optimization mixes declarative and generative mechanisms for the description of a set of well-formed objects. Structure Building (a generative process) is interleaved with optimization (a declarative process), when defining an expression of the language. Thusexpressions are constructed in cycles, with some structure being built, and then the optimal way of interpreting this structure is chosen, and then some more structure is constructed, and so on. Cyclic optimization is related to two step models of language definition (such as machine-based or logical transducers), which define expressions as interpretations of underlying structures. In distinction to more familiar species of two step models, in cyclic optimization the outputs of previous interpretation steps can be the inputs to future ones. This project investigates the computational and mathematical underpinnings of this approach to defining languages. The goals of this project are 1) to determine the kinds of phenomena describable (or not) by cyclic optimization, as well as the kinds of restrictions which affect its generative capacity, 2) to understand how cyclic optimization relates to other mechanisms for grammaticaldescription, and 3) to clarify the nature of the mechansims involved.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 5175: Cyclic Optimization