Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT The last three decades have seen a large increase in attempts to explain phonetic and phonological patterns using information theoretic properties such as frequency and predictability. One recurring theme is the attempt to explain phonetic and phonological weakening as following directly from low information content. I argue that the actuation of weakening processes is not consistent with a direct causal route, but is consistent with indirect causal route in which low information content is causally related only to durational reduction, and that downstream effects of low information content may actually hinder communicative efficiency. These findings contradict the expectations of many authors, including my own, going back at least to Zipf.
Source: Language and Linguistics Compass
DOI: 10.1111/lnc3.70029
Author: Uriel Cohen Priva
Institution: Brown University
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,900
OpenAlex ID: W4417525689