Optimality theory kager free ebook download as pdf file. In optimality theory prince and smolensky 2004, the constraint complexonset kager 1999 punishes complex onsets. Theory, in which markedness has no substantive status in the grammar, but functions as an external system of annotations on parameter values, evaluating a grammars complexity. Optimality theory prince and smolensky 1993, mccarthy and prince 1993a,b turns markedness statements into the actual substance of grammars.
Pdf optimality theory and phonological acquisition researchgate. Karttunen, rene kager, paul kiparsky, mike kenstowicz, ellis visch, andras kornai, akin. Optimality theory is a general theory of grammar, rather than one of phonology. Relevance and bidirectional optimality theory springerlink. The analysis relies on input and output underspecification.
Therefore this book is not limited in its empirical scope to phonological phenomena, but it also contains chapters on the learnability of ot grammars chapter 7 and extensions to syntax chapter 8. Optimality theory ot has been developed since the early nineties. Model theory and the content of ot constraints christopher potts geo. The most general of these insights centers on the results available from the study of the syllable, a core concept in generative phonology after the sound pattern of. The basic assumptions of this constraintbased theory as a general model of grammar are first outlined, with formal notation being defined and illustrated. December 9, 2010 1 introduction this chapter discusses the relation between the minimalist program mp and optimality theory ot and will show that, contrary to popular belief, mp and ot are not inherently. Kager s explanations are clear, and he does a god job walking you through the various topics. Inventory on biblio is continually updated, but because much of our booksellers inventory is uncommon or even oneofakind, stockouts do lptimality from time to time. Optimalitytheoretic syntax gereon muller universitat leipzig. However, ot radically differs from earlier generative models in various ways.
Chapter 6 contains results from kager forthcomingpresented at the conference on the derivational residue in phonology, tilburg university, october mccarthy, john and alan prince. Optimality theory, in common with much recent work, shifts the burden from the theory of. Current linguistic theory takes the chomskyan view that there is a genetic predisposition. Dynamic ot optimality theory tableau generator for latex. Mccarthy university of massachusetts amherst abstract. The first two chapters situate the research in its broader context, with an introduction by the editors providing a brief general tutorial on optimality theory. Constraints in phonological acquisition edited by rene kager. The idea of trying to merge the system of optimality theory with. Archangeli 1997, tesar, grimshaw, and prince 1999, kager 1999. The universal set of constraints is on a par with the choir invisible. Optimality theory thisisanintroductiontooptimalitytheory,thecentralideaofwhich isthatsurfaceformsoflanguagere.
Roa, which was created by alan prince in 1993, is an electronic depository of work in, on, or about ot. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Concepts unique to the theory, including emergence of the unmarked, are also described. When vowel sequences arise through morphophonological concatenations in isindebele, hiatus may be resolved in one of three processes. In ot there is the possibility to combine the constraints onset. Case, agreement, object shift, and economy of structure and movement. Background linguistics, broadly speaking, explores all aspects of natural language. Lexicon and numeration, notion of features, feature checking and checking domains. Word order is one of the major properties on which languages are compared and its study is fundamental to linguistics. Lecture 2 theory of linear programming linear programming program, linear, theorem on alternative, linear programming duality 2.
One point, already mentioned above, is the fact that ot has incorporated notions like markedness and output constraint which already played an important role in studies on child language phonology. Optimality theory ot took centre stage in theoretical linguistics during the 1990s. What is the universal set of constraints in optimality theory. Optimality theory by rene kager, 1999 online research. Scribd adalah situs bacaan dan penerbitan sosial terbesar di dunia. Blutners bidirectional optimality theory ot, based on the assumption that both speaker and hearer optimize their conversational actions seems perfectly suitable to implement this. Optimality theory makes two particular strong points for acquisition research. Feb 22, 2001 optimality theory ot is an approach to linguistics that derives output forms from inputs on the assumption that there are many competing constraints on possible output forms. Pullum university of california, santa cruz we develop an extensible description logic for stating the content of optimalitytheoretic constraints in phonology, and specify a class of structures for interpreting it. Chapter two serves to highlight the history of constraints in studies of phonological development, which predates their current ascent to prominence in phonological theory.
Minimalism and optimality theory hans broekhuis and ellen woolford to appear in the cambridge handbook of generative syntax final version. This type of innovation must be carefully distinguished from the reversal of. It is argued that stratal ot is superior in modelling phonological processes that take place at the. But how can a hearer recognize the speakers intentions. This volume provides the first survey of optimality theory arguably the linguistic theory of the 1990s. Vowel hiatus is a dispreferred phenomenon in many languages.
As a general model, optimality theory has wide applications to a variety of areas in cognitive science, and especially to those related to language. It also addresses some frequently asked questions about this theory and offers suggestions. A generative, optimalitytheoretic account of galician geada is proposed. Model of grammar optimality theory ot has been developed since the early nineties, by alan prince, paul smolensky, john mccarthy and others. Notes on optimality theory college of the holy cross. There are far too many candidates, and no consensus at all on what there is to be constrained, how it is to be constrained, and what to do about exceptions and counterexamples. Having only done rule based phonology, i didnt find optimality theory to be at all intuitive at first. I used this a few years back in a graduate level phonology course. Ellen woolford university of massachusetts amherst. Pay particular attention to the critiques of optimality theory. This is thus my first attempt at analyzing the various theories using common terminology in an attempt to fuse them together where possible.
This article surveys the motivations for ot, its core principles, and the basics of analysis. Depending on how the constraints are ranked, outputs will be faithful to some features of the input, or change them to more natural values. Underspecification is shown to be compatible with optimality theory. Kager 1999 gives an entrylevel introduction to ot, mccarthy 2001 surveys. The data show an interesting double repair of the coda s taking place at word edges.
Spanish under the framework of stratal optimality theory ot rubach1997. The idea of trying to merge the system of optimality theory with that of cognitive psychology was too appealing to ignore. Optimality theory is a development of generative grammar, a theory sharing its focus on formal description and quest for universal principles, on the basis of empirical research of linguistic typology and first language acquisition. Optimality theory ot is a theory of grammar in the generative sense. With each of these tests, the proponents of the quantificational theory are faced with problems. Its basic tenets were both familiar and revolutionary, and this has doubtless contributed to its success. Mar 03, 2012 optimality theory in linguistics by kie zuraw 1. Dynamic ot optimality theory tableau generator for latex instructions. Optimality theory ot shifts the focus of linguistic discovery from rules and derivations to constraints and rankings. This comprehensive survey provides an uptodate, critical overview of this widely debated topic, exploring and evaluating word order research carried out in four major theoretical frameworks linguistic typology, generative grammar, optimality theory and processingbased.
These notes explain the procedures and assumptions behind a valuable technique using in studying adaptation called optimality theory. To introduce ot syntax to phonologists, this pape r shows how syntax benefits from the addition of optimality theory in the analysis of four kinds of complex phenomenon. Optimality theory on acquisition research, and this paper will therefore. Optimality theory is a general model of how grammars are structured. Optimality theory in linguistics is the theory that surface forms of language reflect resolutions of conflicts between competing constraints. Optimality theory presented by ashour abdulaziz, eric dodson, jessica hanson, and teresa li overview introduction how to interpret ot historical development theory application pros and cons optimality theory central idea. Bermudezotero2003,2019 and harmonic serialism hs mccarthy2008a,b,2016. A surface form is optimal if it incurs the least serious violations of a set of constraints, taking into account their hierarchical ranking. Optimalitytheoretic syntax gereon muller universitat leipzig february 10, 2011 1.
Optimality theory kager excelente introducao a ot nat lang linguist theory, one violation for each segment in the output that does not appear in the input. Given an underlying wordinitial consonant cluster, it is in conflict with max. Markedness is built into grammars in the form of universal output constraints. First, definite dps generally fail to exhibit scope flexibility in contexts containing the. This is an introduction to optimality theory, whose central idea i.