Phono-Logical Theories BBK Spring 2013

6: Optimality Theory

Problems with the linear model - recap

●With (the) derivation

●No logical connection / causal relation between structural description and structural change ●=> overgenerates ●abstract UR's, extrinsic rule ordering, intermediate repr's ●solution: non-derivational theories: ●Government (GP) ●Optimality Theory (OT)

OT: intro

● UG contains a set of violable constraints ● constraints: universal properties of lang ● each lang has its own ranking for these constraints ● differences between constraint rankings => different patterns => systematic variation between languages ● ranking: A >> B

OT: intro

● fundamental conflict: markedness constraints vs. faithfulness constraints ● markedness constraints, e.g. ONSET, NoCoda

●

OT: intro

OT: intro

● fundamental conflict: markedness constraints vs. faithfulness constraints ● markedness constraints, e.g. ONSET, NoCoda ● faithfulness constraints: require that the output be identical to the input

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OT: intro

OT: intro

● fundamental conflict: markedness constraints vs. faithfulness constraints ● markedness constraints, e.g. ONSET, NoCoda ● faithfulness constraints: require that the output be identical to the input ● a constraint may be violated successfully only in order to satisfy a higher-ranked constraint ● Principles and Parameters replaced by language-particular ranking of universal

constraints OT: intro

● output-oriented: "conspiracy" of phonological regularities ● standard representations, novel mechanism for "derivation" (evaluation) ● originally developed for phonology, later applied to , morphology and other branches of linx

OT: the structure of grammar

OT: the constraints

OT: the structure of grammar

OT: the structure of grammar

OT: the structure of grammar

Summary

Example: Dutch

Example: Dutch

Example: Dutch vs. English

Example: allophonic variation

Example: allophonic variation

Example: allophonic variation

Example: allophonic variation