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From: goldfain@osiris.cso.uiuc.edu
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Language Learning (anecdotes)
Message-ID: <8300015@osiris.cso.uiuc.edu>
Date: Tue, 1-Dec-87 14:23:00 EST
Article-I.D.: osiris.8300015
Posted: Tue Dec  1 14:23:00 1987
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Nf-From: osiris.cso.uiuc.edu!goldfain    Dec  1 13:23:00 1987


I  think the  "crystallization   hypothesis"  in language   acquisition  is an
hypothesis which by its very nature will snag people into a debate.  I think a
review of the overall nature of this hypothesis and debate are  instructive as
to something which should be avoided whenever possible in science.

1) We have an observable phenomenon at a very high level of complexity:
   It concerns fine distinctions in natural language behavior.
2) The observations of  the phenomenon are  not  well pinned down: Researchers
   mention something about "mastery" of the language,  then sometimes back off
   and   only simply make claims  about   phonetic categorial perception, then
   shift back to discussing scores on grammar tests among people who have been
   in  a culture  for  10-20 years,  immigrating at  different  times in their
   lives, etc.

   **************************************************************************
   *  I am not saying the phenomenon isn't real!  There are observable and  *
   *  interesting phenomena here.  I am just qualifying that.               *
   **************************************************************************

3) The phenomena *suggests* that *possibly* there is a physiological basis for
   such trends  and differences as are  observed.  To  make a really  concrete
   claim, it  *suggests* that perhaps  some maturation  process  in the normal
   human brain occurs at about mid teenage years.
4) There  are lots of  other mechanisms that are consistent  with the observed
   phenomena: a wide   range of psychological "lower-level"  factors have been
   listed in the current debate in this note file.
5) If one  really steps back and looks  at this objectively,  we can tell that
   the "experiments" ("studies" is actually a  better word) thus far performed
   and currently underway will  never help distinguish whether this phenomenon
   has a physiological basis or merely a psychological basis, or a combination
   of both (don't forget that possibility!)
6) There is a large set of anecdotal rumor floating around that is  only going
   to keep the issue cloudy.  It may keep us from the wrong conclusion, but it
   is not going to settle us down on whatever the correct answer is.

     I think the only way  to settle the  matter will have  to wait on tighter
experimentation (if it is ever judged that this issue is worth the experiments
it would  take to  settle it.)   It will require  a great  deal of progress in
neurophysiology,   or    some  volunteers   for  some  outrageous   psychology
experiments.  (Find me 100  open-minded  adults who  will set aside  all other
interests for at least 5 years of their lives ... )

In other words, I think the moral of this issue  is that you cannot  expect to
settle an issue that is several layers of abstraction below the level  of your
observational apparatus.  (In this case it might be more  than "several".)  In
a sense I'm saying: "Go back to the lab and let's look for other things we can
get a better grip on - this issue will have to wait until another day."

                 Mark Goldfain      arpa:     goldfain@osiris.cso.uiuc.edu
                                    US Mail:  Mark Goldfain
           (A lowly student at)-->            Department of Computer Science
                                              University of Illinois at U-C
                                              1304 West Springfield Avenue
                                              Urbana, Illinois  61801