Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
  1. Home
  2. Books
  3. Optimality Theory
  • Cited by 414
  • Rene Kager, Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Online publication date:
June 2012
Print publication year:
1999
Online ISBN:
9780511812408
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511812408
Subjects:
Phonetics and Phonology, English Language and Linguistics: General Interest, Language and Linguistics
Series:
Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics
Information

Book description

This is an introduction to Optimality Theory, whose central idea is that surface forms of language reflect resolutions of conflicts between competing constraints. A surface form is 'optimal' if it incurs the least serious violations of a set of constraints, taking into account their hierarchical ranking. Languages differ in the ranking of constraints; and any violations must be minimal. The book does not limit its empirical scope to phonological phenomena, but also contains chapters on the learnability of OT grammars; OT's implications for syntax; and other issues such as opacity. It also reviews in detail a selection of the considerable research output which OT has already produced. Exercises accompany chapters 1-7, and there are sections on further reading. Optimality Theory will be welcomed by any linguist with a basic knowledge of derivational Generative Phonology.

Reviews

"This volume is an excellent introduction to the principles and worlings of optimality theory, a relatively new constraint-based framework....a superior introduction to the most current version of optamality theory..." Studies in Second Language Acquisition

"Kager's book provides a comprehensive overview of OT theory and practice....It is noteworthy for its attention to detail and its analysis of arguments." Lanuage in Society

Refine List

Actions for selected content:

Select all | Deselect all
  • View selected items
  • Export citations
  • Download PDF (zip)
  • Save to Kindle
  • Save to Dropbox
  • Save to Google Drive

Save Search

You can save your searches here and later view and run them again in "My saved searches".

Please provide a title, maximum of 40 characters.
Cancel
×

Contents

Contents

Metrics

Altmetric attention score

Full text views

Total number of HTML views: 0
Total number of PDF views: 0 *
Loading metrics...

Book summary page views

Total views: 0 *
Loading metrics...

* Views captured on Cambridge Core between #date#. This data will be updated every 24 hours.

Usage data cannot currently be displayed.