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From: srt@CS.UCLA.EDU
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Why can't my cat talk?
Message-ID: <9050@shemp.UCLA.EDU>
Date: Fri, 6-Nov-87 07:07:49 EST
Article-I.D.: shemp.9050
Posted: Fri Nov  6 07:07:49 1987
Date-Received: Mon, 9-Nov-87 03:45:56 EST
References: <11967@decwrl.DEC.COM> <1697@cognos.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@CS.UCLA.EDU
Reply-To: srt@CS.UCLA.EDU (Scott Turner)
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
Lines: 26

In article <1125@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> zwicky@dormouse.cis.ohio-state.edu (Elizabeth D. Zwicky) writes:
>In article <8986@shemp.UCLA.EDU> srt@CS.UCLA.EDU (Scott Turner) writes:
>> Hypotheses drawn from
>>degenerate cases like Genie need to be carefully tested in the normal adult
>>population before they can be given any serious consideration.
>
>Give me a break here.

Take two, they're cheap.

> ...You CANNOT test hypotheses about whether or not
>there is a crystallization period after which language cannot be learned
>without dealing with degenerate cases.

Huh?  Studies about second language learning and use clearly bear on this
question.  I don't consider adults who can learn a second language
degenerate. (Well, no more degenerate than the average adult :-).

I agree with your points, by the way.  I'm just cautioning against
building models based on people like Genie without having separate,
confirming evidence that the model is reasonable for normal people.
 
    Scott R. Turner
    UCLA Computer Science     "Delving into mockery science"
    Domain: srt@cs.ucla.edu
    UUCP:  ...!{cepu,ihnp4,trwspp,ucbvax}!ucla-cs!srt