arXiv:2602.14100cs.CL2026-02被引 3

Transformer模型能学西班牙语不规则词形,但无法像人一样正确推广。

Character-aware Transformers Learn an Irregular Morphological Pattern Yet None Generalize Like Humans

  • 用位置无关的编码方式让模型捕捉到不规则词形结构。
  • 模型能部分复现模式,但无法在新词上正确推广。
  • 适合研究语言学习与人类认知差距的学者参考。

神经网络能否作为形态学习的认知模型仍存争议。近期研究显示编码器-解码器模型可习得不规则模式,但其泛化能力是否类似人类尚不明确。本文以西班牙语的L形词形模式为例,该模式中第一人称单数直陈式(如pongo)的词干与所有虚拟式形式(如ponga, pongas)共享,但无明显的音系、语义或句法依据。我们比较了五种编码器-解码器Transformer模型,其差异在于:序列型与位置无关的位置编码,以及原子型与分解型标签表示。结果显示,位置无关模型即使在训练数据中罕见时也能恢复正确的L形模式聚类,而序列型位置编码模型仅部分捕捉该模式。然而,所有模型均未能实现对新形式的创造性泛化:位置无关模型将词干泛化至虚拟式各形式,却未延伸至第一人称单数直陈式,表现出基于语气的泛化,而非真正的L形模式。而人类则相反,优先将模式推广至第一人称单数直陈式。模型无法再现人类的泛化模式,揭示了统计模式复制与形态抽象之间的鸿沟。

原文摘要 · Abstract (English)

Whether neural networks can serve as cognitive models of morphological learning remains an open question. Recent work has shown that encoder-decoder models can acquire irregular patterns, but evidence that they generalize these patterns like humans is mixed. We investigate this using the Spanish \emph{L-shaped morphome}, where only the first-person singular indicative (e.g., \textit{pongo} `I put') shares its stem with all subjunctive forms (e.g., \textit{ponga, pongas}) despite lacking apparent phonological, semantic, or syntactic motivation. We compare five encoder-decoder transformers varying along two dimensions: sequential vs. position-invariant positional encoding, and atomic vs. decomposed tag representations. Positional encoding proves decisive: position-invariant models recover the correct L-shaped paradigm clustering even when L-shaped verbs are scarce in training, whereas sequential positional encoding models only partially capture the pattern. Yet none of the models productively generalize this pattern to novel forms. Position-invariant models generalize the L-shaped stem across subjunctive cells but fail to extend it to the first-person singular indicative, producing a mood-based generalization rather than the L-shaped morphomic pattern. Humans do the opposite, generalizing preferentially to the first-person singular indicative over subjunctive forms. None of the models reproduce the human pattern, highlighting the gap between statistical pattern reproduction and morphological abstraction.

形态学Transformer语言认知

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