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The Wake Forest University Physiology/Pharmacology (WFU Phys./Pharm.) electrophysiology research labs currently carry out memory research by recording neural signals from laboratory animals tethered to nearby signal conditioning and recording equipment. A wireless neural signal recording system is desirable because it removes the cumbersome wires from the animal, allowing it to roam more freely. The result is an animal that is more able to behave as it would in its natural habitat, thus opening the possibility of testing procedures that are not possible with wired recording systems. Sampling rates obtained by conventional RF wireless systems tend to be very low (800Hz) since the bandwidth of these RF wireless systems is low. This is because interfacing methods (RS-232) needed to develop RF systems are slow (57.6Kbps). Another shortcoming of RF systems is the high power consumption. This thesis presents development of embedded wireless system to replace wired systems. RF wireless system is developed to replace wired electrophysiology system. An infrared wireless system development is discussed to achieve higher sampling rates unachievable by RF wireless system. Infrared operate at data rates 4Mbps and high sampling rates can be achieved. For this thesis, Infrared system is interfaced to microcontroller using ISA interface. ISA bus is chosen as it operates (at rate of 8Mbytes/sec) faster than RS-232 and easy to program compared to other buses such as PCI. Also, Infrared systems consume low power than RF systems. Power consumption is an important consideration as application in hand is battery powered. / Master of Science

Discovering a word’s part of speech is an essential step in acquiring the grammar of a language. In this thesis we examine a variety of computational Bayesian models that use linguistic input available to children, in the form of transcribed child directed speech, to learn part of speech categories. Part of speech categories are characterised by contextual (distributional/syntactic) and word-internal (morphological) similarity. In this thesis, we assume language learners will be aware of these types of cues, and investigate exactly how they can make use of them. Firstly, we enrich the context of a standard model (the Bayesian Hidden Markov Model) by adding sentence type to the wider distributional context.We show that children are exposed to a much more diverse set of sentence types than evident in standard corpora used for NLP tasks, and previous work suggests that they are aware of the differences between sentence type as signalled by prosody and pragmatics. Sentence type affects local context distributions, and as such can be informative when relying on local context for categorisation. Adding sentence types to the model improves performance, depending on how it is integrated into our models. We discuss how to incorporate novel features into the model structure we use in a flexible manner, and present a second model type that learns to use sentence type as a distinguishing cue only when it is informative. Secondly, we add a model of morphological segmentation to the part of speech categorisation model, in order to model joint learning of syntactic categories and morphology. These two tasks are closely linked: categorising words into syntactic categories is aided by morphological information, and finding morphological patterns in words is aided by knowing the syntactic categories of those words. In our joint model, we find improved performance vis-a-vis single-task baselines, but the nature of the improvement depends on the morphological typology of the language being modelled. This is the first token-based joint model of unsupervised morphology and part of speech category learning of which we are aware.

Over the past decade, there have been diverse theoretical perspectives and increasing empirical literature on bilingualism and specific language impairment (SLI), some of which highlighted the complex nature of accurately diagnosing SLI in bilingual populations. The goal of the current study is to enhance our understanding of morphosyntax development in an understudied bilingual population - Mandarin-English children who are growing up in an L2-dominant environment (English) in the United States. The study included a total of 55 bilingual Mandarin-English children between the ages of four and seven years, including 53 typically developing (TD) children and 2 children diagnosed with SLI. Using a newly developed screening test - the Bilingual English-Mandarin Oral Screener (BEMOS), we compared Mandarin performance in both TD and SLI children on 7 morphosyntax tasks which respectively measure passive -bei, possessive -de, prepositional phrases, noun classifiers, quantifier and scope, aspects (imperfective “-zai” and perfective “-le”), and sentence repetition. Our analysis of TD bilingual children revealed a trend towards a significant age effect in the total score and a near-significant effect in the preposition and the aspect sub-sections of the screener. When age was considered, perceived Mandarin proficiency by parents was associated with TD bilingual children’s performance. All students performed poorly on the classifier section, but our error analysis showed a predominant response pattern of imitation, suggesting bilingual children have growing sensitivity and are attentive to semantic similarity of nouns. Overgeneralized use of the general classifier “ge” was also observed in the errors. Both children with SLI scored lower overall compared to their age- and gender-matched TD peers, especially in the classifier and quantifier & scope sections. Reliable clinical markers were not identified due to the two SLI children’s distinct performance. Clinical implications and future research needs were also discussed. / text

Joint Applied Project / Over the next seven years, more than 50 percent of DoD’s acquisition workforce will be eligible for retirement. To replace these highly skilled acquisition professionals, the Department of Defense (DoD) will need to efficiently and effectively train employees who are entering the contracting profession. In 2003, the Communications Electronics Life Cycle Management Command (CE-LCMC) established a pilot training program that was intended to accelerate the training and development of contracting interns. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of this program from the perspectives of the 91 participating interns, the Contracting Officers who work with these interns, and the managers/supervisors in the Acquisition Center. Based on the analysis of five surveys, recommendations are offered for the improvement of the CE-LCMC’s pilot intern training program.

Cette thèse est dédiée au traitement de la morphosyntaxe lors des premières étapes de l’acquisition du polonais en L2, avec une attention spécifique portée au rôle de l’input et des techniques de sollicitation. La structure cible considérée ici est l’opposition morphosyntaxique entre le nominatif et l’accusatifs, qui correspondent respectivement aux fonctions sujet et objet.90 apprenant(e)s adultes répartis équitablement entre cinq groupes de L1 ont pris part à un cours d’initiation au polonais d’une durée de quatorze heures. Les participants n’ayant jamais été exposés au polonais ou à une autre langue slave, l’expérience porte sur le tout premier contact avec une langue cible totalement nouvelle. L’expérience a été menée sous des conditions d’input rigoureusement contrôlées : l’apport a été planifié, enregistré et transcrit afin de pouvoir le mettre en corrélation rigoureuse avec l’output de l’apprenant.Cette étude conclut que tandis que plusieurs apprenant(e)s ont été capable de traiter la morphologie flexionnelle dans un exercice structuré quelques heures seulement après la première exposition à l’input, beaucoup moins ont su en faire autant dans un contexte d’interaction spontanée. Pour ce dernier exercice, ils se sont appuyés sur des principes sémantiques et liés au contexte de la phrase. Ce travail a ainsi permis de souligner des points méthodologiques sensibles quant au rôle de la sémantique dans la détermination de la morphosyntaxe d’une part, et quant aux effets des techniques de sollicitation sur les stratégies observables du traitement morphosyntaxique, d’autre part. / This thesis is devoted to the processing of morphosyntax in the earliest stages of the acquisition of Polish L2, with special attention to the role of input and to elicitation techniques. The target structure taken into consideration is the morphosyntactic opposition between the nominative and accusative case, respectively corresponding to the subject and object function. 90 adult learners evenly distributed among five L1 groups took part in a first-exposure 14-hour Polish course taught by a specially trained native speaker. As participants had never been exposed to Polish or other Slavic languages, the experiment portrays the very first contact with a completely new target language. The experiment was carried out under strictly controlled input conditions: specifically, input was planned, recorded and transcribed, in order to thoroughly correlate it to learner output.The study concludes that while several learners proved able to process inflectional morphology in a structured test after only a few hours of exposure to the input, much fewer could do the same in the context of spontaneous interaction, in which they relied on semantic and phrasal principles. Although this conclusion may be seen in itself as a significant contribution to the debate regarding the initial stages of L2 acquisition, we believe that this work highlighted sensitive methodological points regarding the role of semantics in determining morphosyntax, on the one hand, and the effect of elicitation technique on the observable strategies of morphosyntactic processing, on the other hand.

Wong, Yuet On. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Sign phonology models / Chapter 1.0 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Structuralism and Stokoe's pioneering work --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2 --- Insights from Generative phonology --- p.6 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Is handshape a segment or autosegment --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- "CV phonology, the Movement Hold Model and the Hand-Tier model" --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Dependency Phonology --- p.10 / Chapter 1.2.4 --- Interim Summary --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3 --- The handshape node --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Sandleŕةs (1989) handshape node --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Brentaríةs (1998) handshape node --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Eccariuśة（2002) handshape node --- p.19 / Chapter 1.3.3.1 --- The Joint feature [Crossed] of the PSF node --- p.21 / Chapter 1.3.3.2 --- Branching of Selected Fingers into Primary and Secondary Selected Fingers --- p.21 / Chapter 1.3.3.3 --- The Secondary selected fingers node --- p.24 / Chapter 1.3.3.4 --- The Thumb node in the Secondary selected fingers branch --- p.24 / Chapter 1.3.3.5 --- Quantity in SSF vs. Quantity in PSF --- p.25 / Chapter 1.3.3.6 --- The Point of reference node in the Secondary selected fingers branch --- p.25 / Chapter 1.4 --- The proposed Handshape Unit Model --- p.25 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Handshape unit node --- p.28 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- HIM node --- p.30 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- The Type node --- p.31 / Chapter 1.4.4 --- The Number of movements node --- p.33 / Chapter 1.4.5 --- The handshape node --- p.33 / Chapter 1.4.6 --- The Nonselected fingers node --- p.33 / Chapter 1.4.7 --- The Selected fingers node --- p.35 / Chapter 1.4.8 --- The Primary selected fingers node --- p.36 / Chapter 1.4.9 --- The Thumb node --- p.37 / Chapter 1.4.10 --- The Fingers node --- p.39 / Chapter 1.4.11 --- The Quantity node --- p.40 / Chapter 1.4.12 --- The Point of reference node --- p.40 / Chapter 1.4.13 --- The Joint position node --- p.42 / Chapter 1.4.14 --- The Finger position node --- p.44 / Chapter 1.4.15 --- The Secondary selected fingers node --- p.45 / Chapter 1.4.15.1 --- Primary vs. Secondary selected fingers --- p.45 / Chapter 1.4.15.2 --- Comparing the SSF node with the PSF node --- p.46 / Chapter 1.4.15.3 --- The Quantity node of the Secondary selected fingers node --- p.46 / Chapter 1.4.15.4 --- The Point of reference node of the Secondary selected fingers node --- p.48 / Chapter 1.4.15.5 --- Joint position node of the Secondary selected fingers node --- p.48 / Chapter 1.4.15.6 --- Finger position node of the Secondary selected fingers node --- p.49 / Chapter 1.4.15.7 --- Conclusion --- p.49 / Chapter 1.5 --- Outline of the thesis --- p.51 / Chapter 1.6 --- Notation conventions --- p.51 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Literature review and introduction to the current study / Chapter 2.0 --- Introduction --- p.53 / Chapter 2.1 --- Generalizations of phonology acquisition phenomena --- p.53 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Early child speech as prephonemic --- p.53 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Commonly acquired sound segments at the end of the babbling stage --- p.55 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Characteristics of early words - Loss of phonological contrasts --- p.55 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Systematic mappings --- p.56 / Chapter 2.1.5 --- Context-dependent rules / processes --- p.56 / Chapter 2.1.6 --- Strategies and metalinguistic awareness in the early period --- p.57 / Chapter 2.1.7 --- Stages of the phonological development --- p.57 / Chapter 2.2 --- Acquisition of phonology in sign language --- p.58 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Acquisition of location --- p.59 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Acquisition of movement --- p.61 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Acquisition of handshape --- p.62 / Chapter 2.2.3.1 --- Acquisition of spoken and signed language phonology: Common observations --- p.62 / Chapter 2.2.3.2 --- Acquisition phenomena specific to handshape acquisition --- p.64 / Chapter 2.2.3.3 --- Substitution --- p.66 / Chapter 2.2.3.4 --- Applying a linguistic phonology model in handshape acquisition study --- p.67 / Chapter 2.2.3.5 --- Group data: a reanalysis --- p.73 / Chapter 2.3 --- Interim summary --- p.78 / Chapter 2.4 --- Implications on the current study --- p.78 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Hypotheses and Methodology / Chapter 3.0 --- Introduction --- p.80 / Chapter 3.1 --- Markedness and acquisition hypotheses of the current study --- p.80 / Chapter 3.2 --- Background information for the current study --- p.89 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Subject of the present study --- p.89 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Data collection --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Types of signs included in the present study --- p.91 / Chapter 3.2.3.1 --- Identification of handshape for analysis: signs with more than one handshape --- p.94 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Coding of the data --- p.96 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Criteria for acquisition --- p.98 / Chapter 3.3 --- Chapter summary --- p.100 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- Results / Chapter 4.0 --- Introduction --- p.102 / Chapter 4.1 --- Order of Acquisition of HKSL handshapes --- p.103 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Analysis of CC's data --- p.103 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Data from other handshape acquisition studies --- p.110 / Chapter 4.2 --- Not-attempted handshapes --- p.115 / Chapter 4.3 --- Errors of Substitution --- p.117 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Data which confirm H2 --- p.122 / Chapter 4.3.1.1 --- Quantity substitution --- p.122 / Chapter 4.3.1.2 --- Point of reference substitution --- p.123 / Chapter 4.3.1.3 --- Joint position substitution --- p.123 / Chapter 4.3.1.4 --- Finger position substitution --- p.124 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Data which do not confirm or reject H2 --- p.124 / Chapter 4.3.2.1 --- [Crossed] in the Finger position node --- p.125 / Chapter 4.3.2.2 --- Secondary selected fingers substitution --- p.125 / Chapter 4.3.2.3 --- Thumb feature substitution --- p.126 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Data which reject H2 --- p.126 / Chapter 4.3.3.1 --- Thumb selection substitution --- p.126 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Summary of data testing against H2 --- p.127 / Chapter 4.4 --- HIM and handshape acquisition --- p.128 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Defining HIM --- p.129 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- H3: Accuracy of Finger selection and finger configuration is lower when HIM is specified --- p.130 / Chapter 4.4.2.1 --- HIM and finger selection --- p.131 / Chapter 4.4.2.2 --- Analysis of the relationship between HIM and finger configuration --- p.132 / Chapter 4.4.2.3 --- Generalizations --- p.133 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Detailed analysis of signs involving HIMs --- p.135 / Chapter 4.4.3.1 --- Data which confirm H3 --- p.135 / Chapter 4.4.3.2 --- Data which partially confirm H3 --- p.137 / Chapter 4.4.3.3 --- Data which reject H3 --- p.138 / Chapter 4.4.3.4 --- Interim summary --- p.140 / Chapter 4.4.4 --- HIM complexity --- p.140 / Chapter 4.5 --- Conclusion --- p.142 / Chapter Chapter 5: --- Physiology and Handshape Acquisition / Chapter 5.0 --- Introduction --- p.144 / Chapter 5.1 --- Motoric account for handshape acquisition --- p.145 / Chapter 5.2 --- Physiology Account --- p.147 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Criterion (a): Muscle Opposition in Configuration --- p.149 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Criterion (b): Independent extensor / sufficient support --- p.151 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Criterion(c): Profundus / juncturae tendinum --- p.152 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Other factors affecting the ease and difficulty of a handshape --- p.152 / Chapter 5.3 --- Accounting for CĆةs acquisition data --- p.153 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Acquired handshapes --- p.153 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Attempted but not yet acquired handshapes --- p.156 / Chapter 5.3.2.1 --- Anńةs (1993) scoring system: An evaluation --- p.158 / Chapter 5.3.2.3 --- Substitutions and Anńةs (1993) scoring system --- p.159 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Unattempted handshapes --- p.164 / Chapter 5.4 --- Conclusion --- p.167 / Chapter Chapter 6: --- Conclusion / Chapter 6.1 --- Summary of the study --- p.170 / Chapter 6.2 --- Physiology and handshape acquisition --- p.170 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- p.170 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- Review of Anńةs model --- p.171 / Chapter 6.3 --- Bases of markedness in the current thesis --- p.172 / Chapter 6.4 --- Handshape acquisition affected by factors other than markedness --- p.173 / Chapter 6.5 --- Unresolved issues and limitations --- p.173 / Chapter 6.5.1 --- The dependents of the Handshape Unit Model --- p.174 / Chapter 6.5.2 --- The Thumb --- p.175 / Chapter 6.5.3 --- Underspecification --- p.175 / Chapter 6.5.4 --- Feature markedness ranking --- p.176 / Chapter 6.5.5 --- Possible idiosyncrasy --- p.176 / Appendices / References

Previous research in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) has shown that some of the systematic errors of second language (L2) learners can be attributed to the influence of the native language (L1). In fact, many hypotheses in generative SLA have focused on the role of L1 transfer ranging the spectrum from No Transfer to Full Transfer. The goal of this dissertation was to investigate L1 transfer by focusing on L1-L2 differences in terms of linguistic features; specifically, how differences in the featural and morpholexical organization of L1 and L2 pronominal paradigms affect SLA. In this work I operationalize L1 transfer in terms of the Feature Reassembly Hypothesis (FRH; Lardiere, 2009). The hypothesis pioneers conceptualization of L1 transfer as an initial attempt by L2 learners to establish a direct mapping between L1 and L2 forms. The FRH is particularly suitable to the study of L2 development because it predicts that when a one-to-one initial mapping is unsuccessful, L2 learners will gradually reorganize the L1 grammatical system until they attain (possibly complete) convergence. Empirical testing of the hypothesis is critical since determining when and why transfer occurs opens numerous possibilities to predict transfer errors and to develop pedagogical approaches to tackle negative transfer. In the current study I focus on the L2 acquisition of four 3rd person singular French object pronouns in the interlanguage of native speakers of English. Difficulties in the acquisition of Romance object pronouns have been amply documented in L2 research. However, most of the previous studies of the topic have focused on L2 acquisition of clitic pronouns and their syntactic properties. The present study takes a novel approach investigating the acquisition of strong as well as clitic pronouns. In my dissertation I test different kinds of knowledge including learners' comprehension of different kinds of pronouns. Going beyond production data, my experimental tasks include a grammaticality judgment task with correction, a picture selection task, and a self-paced reading task. The experimental tasks were administered to a group of native speakers (n=43) and L2 learners of French (n=87). The overall picture that emerges from the current study allows unveiling the initial mapping and subsequent reassembly of the semantic and morphosyntactic features implicated in the acquisition process of the four forms under investigation.