Optimality Theory from a cognitive science perspective

Abstract

The appeal to Richness of the Base in Optimality Theory may undermine many OT analyses, as well as OT's status as a psychological, and not merely computational theory. Constraint violability in OT theorizing is critiqued as arising from a confusion between epistemological and ontological issues. Following Kiparsky (1973), conspiracies are explained as epiphenomena due to the nature of language change and language acquisition. © 2000, Walter de Gruyter. All rights reserved.