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In Optimality Theory terms, language learnability means learning the constraint ranking scheme. During the learning process different grammars are constructed by learners in an attempt to bring their final grammar, i.e. constraint ranking, in agreement with that of an adult native speaker. Differences among such grammars are due to domination relations holding among the interacting constraints. These relations can be changed by learners by means of two reranking strategies, namely: Constraint Demotion and the Gradual Learning Algorithm. Using the first strategy, learners are able to demote, that is move, violated constraints reflecting their wrong (produced) forms downward the constraint hierarchy. On the other hand, the second strategy allows learners to demote violated constraints downward the constraint hierarchy and promote less violated ones upward the hierarchy at the same time. The main difference between these two strategies is that for Constraint Demotion the constraint hierarchy is linear and ordinal whereas for the Gradual Learning Algorithm it is continuous. These two learning reranking strategies can be used by Iraqi learners of English at the university level in their attempt to bring forms they produce in agreement with the ones they correctly comprehend.

Constraint Ranking , Scheme , Learnability

2010

آداب البصره

آداب البصره