Corpora: 2nd CFP: Analogical Modeling of Language

AMLConference (lonz@byu.edu)
Wed, 01 Dec 1999 10:19:24 +0000

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FINAL CALL FOR PAPERS
Conference on Analogical Modeling of Language (AML)

Date: Thursday and Friday, 23-24 March 2000

Location: Brigham Young University (BYU),
Provo, Utah, USA

*** EXTENDED DEADLINE***
Detailed abstract (approximately 1000 words)
due 15 December 1999

The purpose of this conference will be to bring together
researchers in Royal Skousen's theory of analogical
modeling of language (AML) as well as various other
exemplar-based approaches to describing language. Most of
the conference will concentrate on AML, but invitations
to present are extended to other exemplar-based
researchers who have compared AML with their own work.

Brief description of AML:

During the last two decades, as rule approaches have
encountered difficulties explaining language behavior,
several competing non-rule approaches to language have
been developed. First was the development (or
rejuvenation) of neural networks, more commonly known in
linguistics as connectionism. More recently, numerous
researchers have turned to exemplar-based systems
(sometimes known as instance-based systems or "lazy
learning") to explain language behavior. These
exemplar-based learning systems involve hunting for the
most similar instances ("nearest neighbors") to predict
language behavior. A more general theory of the
exemplar-based approach is Royal Skousen's analogical
modeling of language, which permits (under well-defined
conditions) even non-neighbors to affect language
behavior.

Confirmed invited speakers:

Walter (Antwerp, comparing nearest neighbor
Daelemans Tilburg) approaches and AML

Bruce (University experimental testing
Derwing of Alberta)

Steve (University psycholinguistic evidence
Chandler of Idaho)

David (Mississippi applying AML to Spanish
Eddington State) morphology

Doug Wulf (University applying AML to
of Washington) German plural

Submission information for papers to be presented at
conference:

* Detailed abstract (approximately 1000 words)
due 15 December 1999

* Submit by email to aml-conf@email.byu.edu (plain ASCII,
PDF or Postscript only),

* or by regular mail to:
Royal Skousen
Department of English
Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah 84602
USA

* Preliminary draft of full paper due at time of
conference

* Publication plans: major academic publisher,
negotiations underway

In addition to the public conference on 23-24 March 2000,
there will be:
* tutorial sessions on AML on Wednesday, 22 March 2000:
o overview of AML
o developing datasets
o running the AML software
o using other instance-based approaches
* expert sessions in research on Saturday, 25 March 2000
o groups applying AML to specific language problems

Local organizing committee for the conference:
Royal Skousen
Deryle Lonsdale
Dil Parkinson
Bill Eggington

with the assistance of other members of the AML research
group at BYU:

Paul Baltes
Don Chapman
Dana Bourgerie
Kirk Belnap

For more details about the conference, as well as papers
and the Perl program that runs AML, see the AML website
at http://humanities.byu.edu/aml/homepage.html

Possible support available from BYU's Kennedy Center for
International Studies for scholars from outside the U.S.

Anticipated costs:
* Nominal conference fee: includes lunches on Thursday
and Friday, plus handout materials (abstracts)
* Similar nominal fee for the tutorial sessions on
Wednesday
* Travel to Salt Lake City; shuttle services from
airport to Provo (currently about $40 for roundtrip)
or car rental
* Hotels and motels in Provo area:
o currently from about $38 to $79 per day
o hotels include breakfast, plus shuttle to BYU

For specific correspondence with the organizing
committee, send e-mail to: aml-conf@byu.edu
or write to:
Royal Skousen
Department of English
Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah 84602
USA