What has been considered to be a key limitation of connectionist models of language acquisition?

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Let’s parse the question and the available options to understand what each choice implies about connectionist models of language acquisition.
Option 1: 'They cannot learn irregular past tense inflections of verbs.' This is a common critique of some early connectionist models, which struggled with the generalization of irregular forms like 'went' versus regular 'walked'. However, later models and experiments showed that networks could approximate irregular inflection patterns through distributed representations and training data, so this claim is not universally held as the definitive limitation.
Option 2: 'They cannot account for the fact that children get better, get worse, and then get better at irregular past tense inflections of verbs.' This option highlights a more nuanced developmental trajectory observed in some children, where performance can fluctuate before stabilizing. Some researchers argued that static models might miss such nonmonotonic learning patterns unless they incorporate mechanisms for overgeneralization and repair. Yet, the specific pattern described is not universally accepted as a core, uncontested limitation of all connectionist approaches, and some models can simulate fluctuations with appropriate training dynamics.
Option 3: 'They only learn stimulus response associations which are insufficient for language learning.' This statement captures a widely voiced critique: language involves abstract rules, generalization, and combinatorial productivity that go beyond simple stimulus–response (associative) learning. Critics argue that purely associative networks may fail to capture the extent of generalization and the systematic nature of grammar, even if they can approximate many lexical patterns.
Option 4: 'They are difficult to understand.' This assertion points to the interpretability of connectionist models. Neural networks, especially deep and large ones, can be opaque or challenging to interpret in human-understandable terms. While this is a practical concern for many researchers, it is more about methodology and transparency than about the fundamental capability of the models to acquire language. The phrasing also reflects a meta-level critique rather than a core cognitive limitation.
In evaluating these options, consider whether the statement describes a fundamental cognitive limitation of the models (e.g., reliance on simple associations versus capacity for abstract generalization) or a methodological/practical issue (e.g., interpretability) or a specific empirical challenge (e.g., handling irregulars or developmental fluctuations). The first option addresses a specific learning outcome, the second a developmental trajectory, the third a theoretical adequacy issue, and the fourth a practical interpretability concern. Each has its own claim about what limits connectionist approaches to language acquisition, but not all are universally agreed as the key or sole limitation across the literature.

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What has been considered to be a key limitation of connectionist models of language acquisition?

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