Phonotactic Complexity

Phonotactic complexity, the measure of a language's permissible sound sequences, is a key area of linguistic research focusing on understanding its relationship with other linguistic features and its impact on language processing. Current research utilizes information-theoretic measures and deep learning models, such as LSTMs and Wav2Vec2, to quantify phonotactic complexity across languages and dialects, investigating its correlations with morphological irregularity, word length, and speech recognition accuracy. These studies reveal complex relationships, sometimes showing unexpected positive correlations between phonotactic and morphological complexity, challenging previous assumptions of a simple trade-off. Findings contribute to a deeper understanding of language structure, evolution, and the development of more robust language technologies.