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Phonetics & Phonology

What Is Optimality Theory?

By John J. McCarthy, University of Massachusetts Amherst (May 2007)


Section: Phonetics & Phonology

Subjects: Linguistics, Psycholinguistics, Syntax, Morphology, Phonology, Sociolinguistics, Language Variation and Change, Language Acquisition, Theoretical Linguistics.

Abstract

Optimality Theory is a general model of how grammars are structured. This article surveys the motivations for Optimality Theory, its core principles, and the basics of analysis. It also addresses some frequently asked questions about this theory and offers suggestions for further reading.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-818X.2007.00018.x

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