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. I used this a few years back in a graduate level phonology course. Aspects of generative phonology and basic concepts of optimality theory will be explored. Idempotency in optimality theory 1 journal of linguistics. Optimality theory confronts these issues directly, designing its basic architecture to deal with them. Optimality theory cambridge textbooks in linguistics rene. Optimality theory has transformed the field of linguistics more than almost any other development of the past halfcentury, and prince and smolensky started it all. A basic understanding of phonology and earlier rulebased derivational theories is assumed. 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. Manuscript, rutgers university and university of colorado at boulder.
Optimality theory an introduction patrick schmitz term paper advanced seminar english language and literature studies linguistics publish your bachelors or masters thesis, dissertation, term paper or essay. Optimality theory cambridge textbooks in linguistics. The focus is on phonology, which is where the theory thus far has had its greatest impact. 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. Models integrating notions borrowed from cognitive sci.
This paper proposes an optimality theoretic analysis of stress assignment in levantine arabic. Ot reclaims traditional grammars ability to express surface generalizations. Surface opacity of metrical structure in optimality theory. Optimality theory prince and smolensky 1993 offers an approach to linguistic theory that aims to combine an empirically adequate theory of markedness with a precise formal sense of what it means to be unmarked. The central idea of optimality theory ot is that surface forms of language reflect resolutions of conflicts between competing demands or constraints. Optimality theory has drawn a good deal of criticism, most of which is directed at its application to phonology rather than syntax or other fields. Chapter 1 starts with an introduction of the main concepts of optimality theory. Optimality theory an introduction patrick schmitz term paper advanced seminar english. A formal theory of vowel coalescence download ebook pdf. A surface form is optimal if it incurs the least serious violations of a set of constraints, taking into account their hierarchical ranking.
Optimality theory thisisanintroductiontooptimalitytheory,thecentralideaofwhich isthatsurfaceformsoflanguagere. Having only done rule based phonology, i didnt find optimality theory to be at all intuitive at first. This is an introduction to optimality theory, whose central idea is that surface forms of language reflect resolutions of conflicts between competing constraints. Prince and smolensky 1993 introduced optimality theory ot as a. Kager does so in a clear, thorough and conscientious fashion. As the familiar formulation in 1 states, the edge1 of every acat1 must coincide with the edge2 of some acat2. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading optimality theory cambridge textbooks in. Pullum university of california, santa cruz we develop an extensible description logic for stating the content of optimality theoretic constraints in phonology, and specify a class of structures for interpreting it. Optimality theory by rene kager, 1999 online research. In optimality theory, forms are marked with respect to some constraint if they violate it. If you take option c, it can help you later on with option g.
Optimality theory by rene kager cambridge university press. A central hypothesis of rulebased generative phonology is that rules have exclusive access to. Many criticisms of ot are, according to its proponents, based on fundamental misunderstanding of how it works. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. A central hypothesis of rule based generative phonology is that rules have exclusive access to. The proposed hierarchy incorporates two constraints, namely extendedlapser, which restricts stress to one of the last three syllables, and alignleft, which demands that the left edge of the prosodic word be aligned with a foot.
Given the architecture of generative phonology, which distinguishes between underlying lexical forms and. Chapters 3 through 5 provide a discussion of computational ot, its properties and empirical issues, and its fields of application. Goal of this tutorial this tutorial will provide an introduction to optimality theory, a model that proposes that the surface forms we find in language result from the interaction of competing constraints. Cambridge core phonetics and phonology optimality theory by rene kager. Optimality theory in phonology is a textbook for an advancedlevel phonology course that contains excerpts from 33 important articles and manuscripts on optimality theory ot. Constraint interaction in generative grammar compiles the most important readings about optimality theory in phonology from some of the most. This constitutes a viable alternative to the mainstream view on phonological systems, optimality theory 1, which require the presence of innate linguistically specific constraints in the genome to account for universal tendencies an example of constraint is. Optimality theory, basically applied in phonology, has been used as theoretical framework in other fields e. Optimality theory ot is a wideemployed theoretical framework used in contemporary linguistics.
At appropriate points, kager distinguishes the different claims made by optimality theory and derivational theories. Mccarthy points out that some of the most significant work on ot is available for free on the rutgers optimality archive. Optimality theory can be seen as a framework that is mounted upon traditional linguistic theories, therefore it is compatible with representations from a variety of linguistic approaches. A proposal for the treatment of noun incorporation and similar phenomena. Optimality theory in linguistics is the theory that surface forms of language reflect resolutions of conflicts between competing constraints.
For sound files, updated web links, typo corrections, and other material, please visit the website for this text at jinguistics ucla edupeoplehayesip. The original reference for ot is prince and smolensky 1993. Click download or read online button to get a formal theory of vowel coalescence book now. Contrast, neutralization, and lexicon optimization as we have mentioned, no specific input is required for an output due to rob, and thus there are potentially multiple inputs for a single output. It is claimed that optimality theory cannot account for phonological opacity see idsardi 2000, for example.
However, ot radically differs from earlier generative models in various ways. Roa, which was created by alan prince in 1993, is an electronic depository of work in, on, or about ot. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. Appears in computational linguistics 262, june 2000. Download pdf optimality theory and minimalism free. Underlying representation in optimality theory 379 2.
Optimality theory has attracted substantial amounts of criticism, most of which is directed at its application to phonology rather than syntax or other fields. In derivational phonology, effects that are inexplicable at the surface. Nov 01, 2000 in the preface to this wonderful book, rent5 kager writes that its goal is to present an introduction to optimality theory ot prince and smolensky, 1993, inter al. Introduction1 a challenge to any theory of phonology is to reconcile two types of interaction. Rene kagers textbook is one of the first to cover optimality theory ot, a declarative grammar framework that swiftly took over phonology after it was introduced. A reader is a collection of readings on this important new theory by leading figures in the field, including a lengthy excerpt from prince and smolenskys neverbeforepublished optimality theory. Optimality theory and minimalism download optimality theory and minimalism ebook pdf or read online books in pdf, epub, and mobi format. This book presents an introduction to optimality theory, a grammatical framework of recent origin prince and smolensky 1993, mccarthy and prince 1993a, b. Introduction1 a central hypothesis of rulebased generative phonology is that rules have exclusive access to representations that occur in the stage of the. Pay particular attention to the critiques of optimality theory. Reviewed by sam hellmuth, university of york doing optimality theory is intended to equip student and more advanced practitioners with key tools and concepts needed to construct an analysis within optimality theory ot. Stress assignment in polysyllabic words in levantine arabic. This article surveys the motivations for ot, its core principles, and the basics of analysis.
Rhythmic vowel deletion in optimality theory utrecht university. This is an introduction to optimality theory, whose central idea i. 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. It is a theory that has been most widely accepted in the realm of phonology, but has implications for all areas of linguistics. Kager s explanations are clear, and he does a god job walking you through the various topics.
The fundamental idea behind ot is that surface forms of language. The emergence of the unmarked optimality in prosodic morphology. Markedness is built into grammars in the form of universal output constraints. Click download or read online button to optimality theory and minimalism book pdf for free now. Download pdf optimality theory and minimalism free online. Mccarthy university of massachusetts amherst abstract. Jan 01, 2004 optimality theory has transformed the field of linguistics more than almost any other development of the past halfcentury, and prince and smolensky started it all.
Introduction in the score years since phonologist alan prince and cognitive scientist paul smolensky first detailed their optimality theory ot. Beyond their theoretical application, ot and ot syntax bear a substantial potential for the field of computational linguistics. Positional faithfulness and voicing assimilation in optimality theory. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Bradley university of california, davis abstract this article surveys research in spanish phonology from the perspective of optimality theory, a formal linguistic framework based on ranked and violable constraints. Rene kager s textbook is one of the rst to cover optimality theory ot, a declarative grammar framework that swiftly took over phonology afterit was introduced by prince, smolensky, and mccarthy in 1993. Model theory and the content of ot constraints christopher potts geo. This paper establishes tight sufficient conditions for idempotency in classical optimality theory. Mccarthy, university of massachusetts, amherst ot does not need to permanently influence linguistic theory.
Archangeli 1997, tesar, grimshaw, and prince 1999, kager 1999. For each chapter, mccarthy adds brief introductory notes and. Portions of chapters 2, 3, 6, and 7 appeared in earlier form as chapter 12 of linguistics. 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. Notes on optimality theory college of the holy cross. No prior knowledge of ot is required, though it is assumed that all participants are familiar with the goals. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Li 817 morphophonology and ot assignments answer key 1 assignment 1 assigned w2, due w3. Surface opacity of metrical structure in optimality theory rutgers.
Karttunen, rene kager, paul kiparsky, mike kenstowicz, ellis visch, andras kornai, akin. Finally, in chapters 6 and 7 an exemplary implementation for ot syntax is presented. Kager 1999 gives an entrylevel introduction to ot, mccarthy 2001 surveys. Optimality theory, in common with much recent work, shifts the burden from the theory of. A challenge to any theory of phonology is to reconcile two. Optimality theory prince and smolensky 1993, mccarthy and prince 1993a,b turns markedness statements into the actual substance of grammars. It also addresses some frequently asked questions about this theory and offers suggestions. An introduction to linguistic theory by victoria frumkin etal 2000, blackwell. Optimality theory ot shifts the focus of linguistic discovery from rules and derivations to constraints and rankings. Optimality theory an introduction publish your masters. Optimality theory jhu computer science johns hopkins university. Optimality theory cambridge textbooks in linguistics kindle edition by kager, rene. First, idempotency is shown to follow from a general formal condition on the faithfulness constraints. The book is intended to satisfy the needs of students and professional researchers interested in pragmatics and optimality theory, and will be of particular interest to those exploring the interfaces of formal pragmatics with grammar, semantics, philosophy of language, information theory and cognitive psychology.
These notes explain the procedures and assumptions behind a valuable technique using in studying adaptation called optimality theory. Advantages and shortcomings of these theories will be discussed. Surface forms of language reflect resolutions of conflicts between competing demands or constraints. The basic formal element of the theory is the constraint. A reader is a collection of readings on this important new theory by leading figures in the field, including a phonology. Alignment constraints 791 and edge1 and edge2 are the relevant edges.
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