Systemic Networks, Relational Networks, and Neural Networks Sydney Lamb lamb@rice

1. Systemic Networks, Relational Networks, and Neural NetworksSydney Lamblamb@rice.edu Part II: GuangZhou 2010 November 3 Sun YatSen University

2. Topics in this presentation • Aims of SFL and NCL • From systemic networks to relational networks • Relational networks as purely relational • Levels of precision in description • Narrow relational network notation • Narrow relational networks and neural networks • Enhanced understanding of systemic-functional choice • Enhanced appreciation of variability in language

3. Topics • Aims of SFL and NCL • From systemic networks to relational networks • Relational networks as purely relational • Levels of precision in description • Narrow relational network notation • Narrow relational networks and neural networks • Enhanced understanding of systemic-functional choice • Enhanced appreciation of variability in language

4. Aims of SFL • SFG aims (primarily) to describe the network of choices available in a language • For expressing meanings • “SFL differs from Firth, and also from Lamb, in that priority is given to the system” (Halliday, 2009:64) • “The organizing concept of a systemic grammar is that of choice (that is, options in ‘meaning potential’…)” (Halliday 1994/2003: 434

5. Aims of Neurocognitive linguistics (“NCL”) • NCL aims to describe the linguistic system of a language user • As a dynamic system • It operates • Speaking, comprehending, learning, etc. • It changes as it operates • Evidence that can be used • Texts • Findings of SFL • Slips of “tongue” and mind • Unintentional puns • Etc.

6. NCL seeks to learn .. • How information is represented in the linguistic system • How the system operates in speaking and understanding • How the linguistic system is connected to other knowledge • How the system is learned • How the system is implemented in the brain

7. The linguistic system of a language user: Two viewing platforms • Cognitive level: the cognitive system of the language user without considering its physical basis • The cognitive (linguistic) system • Field of study: “cognitive linguistics” • Neurocognitive level: the physical basis • Neurological structures • Field of study: “neurocognitive linguistics”

8. Topics • Aims of SFL and NCL • From systemic networks to relational networks • Relational networks as purely relational • Levels of precision in description • Narrow relational network notation • Narrow relational networks and neural networks • Enhanced understanding of systemic-functional choice • Enhanced appreciation of variability in language

9. “Cognitive Linguistics” • First occurrence in print: • “[The] branch of linguistic inquiry which aims at characterizing the speaker’s internal information system that makes it possible for him to speak his language and to understand sentences received from others.” (Lamb 1971)

10. Operational Plausibility • To understand how language operates, we need to have the linguistic information represented in such a way that it can be used for speaking and understanding • (A “competence model” that is not competence to perform is unrealistic)

11. Relational network notation • Thinking in cognitive linguistics was facilitated by relational network notation • Developed under the influence of the notation used by Halliday for systemic networks • Earlier steps leading to relational network notation appear in papers written in 1963

12. More on the early days • In the 1960s the linguistic system was viewed (by Hockett and Gleason and me and others) as containing items (of unspecified nature) together with their interrelationships • Cf. Hockett’s“Linguistic units and their relations” (Language, 1966) • Early primitive notations showed units with connecting lines to related units

13. The next step: Nodes • The next step was to introduce nodes to go along with such connecting lines • Allowed the formation of networks – systems consisting of nodes and their interconnecting lines • Halliday’s notation (which I first saw in 1964) used different nodes for paradigmatic (‘or’) and syntagmatic (‘and’) relationships • Just what I was looking for

14. From systemic networks to relational networksThree notational adaptations • Rotate 90 degrees, so that • upwards would be toward meaning (at the theoretical top) and • downwards would be toward phonetics (at the theoretical bottom) • Replace the brace for ‘and’ with a (more node-like appearing) triangle; • Retaining the bracket for ‘or’, allow the connecting lines to connect at a point

15. The downward or a b ab

16. The downward and a b ab

17. The 90° Rotation: Upward and Downward Expression (phonetic or graphic) is at the bottom Therefore, downward is toward expression Upward is toward meaning (or other function) – more abstract meaning network expression

18. Orientation of Nodes • Downward AND and OR nodes: • Branching on the expression side • Multiple branches to(ward) expression • Upward AND and OR nodes: • Branching on the content side • Multiple branches to(ward) content

19. Downward and upward branching ab ab ab ab

20. The meaning of up/down:Neurological interpretation • At the bottom are the interfaces to the world outside the brain: • Sense organs on the input side • Muscles on the output side • ‘Up’ is more abstract

21. The ordered and • We need to distinguish simultaneous from sequential • For sequential, the ‘ordered and’ • Its two (or more) lines connect to different points at the bottom of the triangle (in the case of the ‘downward and’) • to represent sequential activation • leading to sequential occurrence of items ab First a then b

22. The downward ordered or • For the ‘or’ relation, we don’t have sequence since only one of the two (or more) lines is activated • But an ordering feature for this node is useful to indicate precedence • So we have precedence ordering. • The line connecting to the left takes precedence • If conditions allow for its activation to be realized, it will be chosen in preference to the other line

23. The downward ordered or (original notation) ab marked choice unmarked choice (a.k.a. default ) The marked choice takes precedence: It is chosen if the conditions that constitute the marking are present

24. The downward ordered or (revised notation) ab marked choice unmarked choice (a.k.a. default ) The unmarked choice is the one that goes right through. The marked choice is off to the side – either side

25. The downward ordered or (revised notation) ab unmarked choice marked choice (a.k.a. default ) The unmarked choice is the one that goes right through. The marked choice is off to the side – either side

26. Sometimes the unmarked choice has zero realization b unmarked choice marked choice The unmarked choice is nothing. In other words, the marked choice is optional.

27. Operational Plausibility • To understand how language operates, we need to have the information represented in such a way that it can be directly used for speaking and understanding • Competence as competence to perform • The information in a person’s mind is “knowing how” – not “knowing that” • Information in operational form • Able to operate without manipulation from some added “performance” system

28. Relational networks:Cognitive systems that operate • Language users are able to use their languages • Such operation takes the form of activation of lines and nodes • The nodes can be defined on the basis of how they treat incoming activation

29. Nodes are defined in terms of activation:The and k Downward activation from k goes to a and later to b Upward activation from a and later from b goes to k a b Downward ordered and

30. Nodes are defined in terms of activation Downward unordered or k p q The or condition is not Achieved locally – at the node itself – it is just a node, has no intelligence. Usually there will be activation coming down from either p or q but not from both a b

31. Nodes are defined in terms of activation:The or k Upward activation from either a or b goes to k Downward activation from k goes to aand [sic] b a b Downward unordered or

32. Nodes are defined in terms of activation Downward unordered or k p q The or condition is not achieved locally – at the node itself – it is just a node, has no intelligence. Usually there will be activation coming down from either p or q but not from both a b

33. The Ordered AND: Upward Activation Activation moving upward from below

34. The Ordered AND: Downward Activation Activation coming downward from above

35. Downward Activation AND OR Upward Downward

36. Upward Activation AND OR Upward Downward

37. Upward activation through the or The or operates as either-or for activation going from the plural side to the singular side. For activation from plural side to singular side it acts locally as both-and, but in the context of other nodes the end result is usually either-or

38. Upward activation through the or bill1bill2 Usually the context allows only one interpretation, as in I’ll send you a bill for it bill

39. Upward activation through the or bill1bill2 But if the context allows both to get through, we have a pun: A duck goes into a pub and orders a drink and says, “Put it on my bill“. bill

40. Zhong Guo: Shadow Meaning CHINA CENTRAL KINGDOM guo zhong

41. The ordered OR:How does it work? Ordered This line taken if possible default Node-internal structure (not shown in abstract notation) is required to control this operation

42. Topics • Aims of SFL and NCL • From systemic networks to relational networks • Relational networks as purely relational • Levels of precision in description • Narrow relational network notation • Narrow relational networks and neural networks • Enhanced understanding of systemic-functional choice • Enhanced appreciation of variability in language

43. A purely relational network • After making these adaptations to systemic network notation, resulting in relational network notation (abstract form), it became apparent (one afternoon in the fall of 1964) that relational networks) need not contain any items at all • The entire structure could be represented in the nodes and their interconnecting lines

44. Morpheme as item and its phonemic representation boy b - o - y Symbols? Objects?

45. Relationship of boy to its phonemes As a morpheme, it is just one unit Three phonemes, in sequence boy b o y

46. The nature of this “morphemic unit” BOY Noun boy The object we are considering b o y

47. The morpheme as purely relational BOY Noun We can remove the symbol with no loss of information. Therefore, it is a connection, not an object boy b o y

48. Another way of looking at it BOY Noun boy b o y

49. Another way of looking at it BOY Noun b o y

50. A closer look at the segments boy (toy) (Bob) o b y The phonological segments also are just locations in the network – not objects Phonological features