The Proper Treatment of Optimality in Computational Phonology

This paper presents a novel formalization of optimality theory. Unlike previous treatments of optimality in computational linguistics, starting with Ellison (1994), the new approach does not require any explicit marking and counting of constraint violations. It is based on the notion of "lenient composition", defined as the combination of ordinary composition and priority union.. If an underlying form has outputs that can meet a given constraint, lenient composition enforces the constraint; if none of the output candidates meets the constraint, lenient composition allows all of them. For the sake of greater efficiency, we may "leniently compose" the GEN relation and all the constraints into a single finite-state transducer that maps each underlying form directly into its optimal surface realizations, and vice versa. Seen from this perspective, optimality theory is surprisingly similar to the two older strains of finite-state phonology: classical rewrite systems and two-level models. In particular, the ranking of optimality constraints corresponds to the ordering of rewrite rules.

• Publication year

  1998

• Venue

  arXiv.org

• Publication date

  1998-04-26

• Fields of study

  Linguistics, Computer Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3115/1611533.1611534arXiv cmp-lg/9804002
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Optimality Theory: Constraint Interaction in Generative Grammar

  2004cited by this paper
• Formal issues in lexical-functional grammar

  1998cited by this paper
• Optimality Theory and the Generative Complexity of Constraint Violability

  1998influential reference
• Parsing in OT

  1997influential reference
• Efficient Generation in Primitive Optimality Theory

  1997cited by this paper
• Eecient Generation in Primitive Optimality Theory

  1997cited by this paper
• Lexical Resource Reconciliation in the Xerox Linguistic Environment

  1997cited by this paper
• Regular expressions for language engineering

  1996cited by this paper
• Computational optimality theory

  1996cited by this paper
• OT SIMPLE - a construction-kit approach to Optimality Theory implementation

  1996cited by this paper
• Restricting Multi-level Constraint Evaluation: Opaque Rule Interaction in Yawelmani Vowel Harmony

  1995cited by this paper
• The Replace Operator

  1995cited by this paper
• Regular Models of Phonological Rule Systems

  1994cited by this paper
• Constructing Lexical Transducers

  1994cited by this paper
• Phonological Derivation in Optimality Theory

  1994cited by this paper
• Finite-state Constraints

  1993cited by this paper
• A Compiler for Two-level Phonological Rules

  1987influential reference
• D-PATR: A Development Environment for Unification-Based Grammars

  1986cited by this paper
• A General Computational Model for Word-Form Recognition and Production

  1984cited by this paper
• Formal Aspects of Phonological Description

  1972cited by this paper
• The Sound Pattern of English

  1968cited by this paper

• Universal Generation for Optimality Theory Is PSPACE-Complete

  2023cites this paper
• LFG, Optimality Theory and learnability of languages

  2023cites this paper
• Unbounded recursion in two dimensions, where syntax and prosody meet

  2023cites this paper
• Subregular linguistics: bridging theoretical linguistics and formal grammar

  2022cites this paper
• A Finite State Aproach to Interactive Transcription

  2022cites this paper
• Strong generative capacity of morphological processes

  2021cites this paper
• Input and output locality and representation

  2021cites this paper
• Optimality Theory implements complex functions with simple constraints

  2021cites this paper
• Computational universals in linguistic theory: Using recursive programs for phonological analysis

  2021cites this paper
• Organized by

  2020cites this paper
• Computational locality in nonlinear morphophonology

  2020cites this paper
• Sources of Phonotactic Complexity in Polish

  2019cites this paper
• Computational Induction of Prosodic Structure

  2019cites this paper
• Finite-state Optimality Theory: non-rationality of Harmonic Serialism

  2019influential citation
• Input Strictly Local opaque maps

  2018cites this paper
• Hibrid nyelvtechnológiák

  2018cites this paper
• Imdlawn Tashlhiyt Berber Syllabification is Quantifier-Free

  2018cites this paper
• Tashlhiyt Berber Syllabification is Quantifier-Free

  2018cites this paper
• The computational nature of phonological generalizations

  2018cites this paper
• Rewrite Rule Grammars with Multitape Automata

  2017influential citation
• Advantages of Constituency: Computational Perspectives on Samoan Word Prosody

  2017cites this paper
• Harmonic Serialism and Finite-State Optimality Theory

  2017cites this paper
• Formal and computational verification of phonological analyses*

  2017cites this paper
• Long-distance consonant agreement and subsequentiality

  2017cites this paper
• Computational Theories of Learning and Developmental Psycholinguistics

  2016cites this paper
• OPTIMALITY THEORY IN PHONOLOGY

  2016cites this paper
• THEORIES OF LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLINGUISTICS

  2016cites this paper
• The Syntax-Prosody Interface in Lexical Functional Grammar

  2015cites this paper
• Can a bird brain do phonology?

  2015cites this paper
• Metathesis is real, and it is a regular relation

  2015cites this paper
• The binary-to-ternary rhythmic continuum in stress typology: layered feet and non-intervention constraints*

  2015cites this paper
• What is computational phonology

  2014cites this paper
• Culminativity times harmony equals unbounded stress

  2014cites this paper
• STRICTLY LOCAL PHONOLOGICAL PROCESSES

  2014cites this paper
• Applications of Lexicographic Semirings to Problems in Speech and Language Processing

  2014cites this paper
• On the Expressivity of Optimality Theory versus Ordered Rewrite Rules

  2013cites this paper
• Learning Constructions of Natural Language: Statistical Models and Evaluations

  2012cites this paper
• A Short History of Two-Level Morphology

  2012cites this paper
• Doing OT in a Straitjacket

  2012cites this paper
• Brian Roark & Richard Sproat, Computational approaches to morphology and syntax. (=Oxford Surveys in Syntax and Morphology 4). Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. xx+316pp. ISBN10 0-19-927478-9, ISBN 13 978-0-19-927478-9 (paperback), ISBN 10 0-19-927477-0, ISBN 13 978-0-19-927477-2 (

  2012cites this paper
• Towards a computer model of the historical phonology and morphology of Latin

  2012cites this paper
• Establishing order in type-based realisational morphology

  2012cites this paper
• Practical Finite State Optimality Theory

  2012influential citation
• The iterated best response model for referential games

  2012cites this paper
• Vowel Harmony , Opacity , and Finite-State OT

  2011cites this paper
• Culminativity times Harmony Equals Unbounded Stress *

  2011cites this paper
• Eric Raimy & Charles E. Cairns (eds.), Contemporary views on architecture and representations in phonology (Current Studies in Linguistics 48). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2009. Pp. vi+418.

  2011cites this paper
• A Tree Transducer Model of Reference-Set Computation

  2011cites this paper
• Constraint Grammar Parsing with Left and Right Sequential Finite Transducers

  2011cites this paper
• Proceedings of the NODALIDA 2011 workshop Constraint Grammar Applications

  2011cites this paper
• Binding Phenomena within a Reductionist Theory of Grammatical Dependencies.

  2011cites this paper
• Computational Theories of Learning and Developmental Psycholinguistics

  2011cites this paper
• An Efficient Constraint Grammar Parser based on Inward Deterministic Automata

  2011cites this paper
• Computational Phonology - Part II: Grammars, Learning, and the Future

  2011cites this paper
• Bayesian interpretation and Optimality Theory

  2011cites this paper
• to appear in Linguistic Inquiry Learning Long-Distance Phonotactics ∗

  2010cites this paper
• Reference-Set Constraints as Linear Tree Transductions via Controlled Optimality Systems

  2010cites this paper
• Formalizing the Use and Characteristics of Constraints in Pipeline Systems

  2010cites this paper
• Language variation and linguistic invariants

  2010cites this paper
• Learning Long-Distance Phonotactics

  2010cites this paper
• Harmonic Grammar with linear programming: from linear systems to linguistic typology*

  2010cites this paper
• Investigating the Relationship Between Linguistic Representation and Computation through an Unsupervised Model of Human Morphology Learning

  2010cites this paper
• Logics of Phonological Reasoning

  2010cites this paper
• Issues in the characterisation of phonological speech impairment vs. delayed acquisition in Jordanian Arabic-Speaking children

  2010cites this paper
• Modelling the acquisition and evolution of vowel harmony

  2010cites this paper
• A morpho-syntactic generation service for German glossary entries

  2010cites this paper
• A Finite-State Approach to Schwa/Zero Alternations in French

  2009influential citation
• Formal is Natural: Toward an Ecological Phonology

  2009cites this paper
• The Kleene Language for Weighted Finite-State Programming

  2009cites this paper
• Violation Semirings in Optimality Theory

  2009cites this paper
• Optimality Theory and Vector Semirings

  2009cites this paper
• On the role of locality in learning stress patterns*

  2009cites this paper
• Regular Expressions and Predicate Logic in Finite-State Language Processing

  2009cites this paper
• The Finite-State Playground

  2008cites this paper
• Constraints and Language Processing (CSLP 2008)

  2008cites this paper
• Bridging the Gap: MiniCorp Analyses of Mandarin Phonotactics

  2008cites this paper
• Finite-State Methods and Natural Language Processing

  2008cites this paper
• Convergence properties of a gradual learner in Harmonic Grammar

  2008cites this paper
• A Bayesian Model of Natural Language Phonology: Generating Alternations from Underlying Forms

  2008cites this paper
• 5th International Workshop on Constraints and Language Processing

  2008cites this paper
• Automated collection and analysis of phonological data

  2008cites this paper
• Acoustic testing for phonologization

  2008cites this paper
• Kenneth R. Beesley & Lauri Karttunen, Finite State Morphology. Stanford, CA: CSLI Publications (distributed by the University of Chicago Press), 2003. xviii + 505pp. and CD-ROM. ISBN hardbound 1-57586-433-9, paperbound 1-57586-434-7.

  2008cites this paper
• Efficient Computation of Overlay for Multiple Inheritance Hierarchies in Discourse Modeling

  2008cites this paper
• Transducers from Parallel Replace Rules and Modes with Generalized Lenient Composition

  2008cites this paper
• Where is pragmatics in optimality theory

  2008cites this paper
• 9 Calculating Metrical Structure

  2008cites this paper
• Constructive optimality theoretic syntax

  2008cites this paper
• Optimality-theoretic Lexical

  2007cites this paper
• Inductive Learning of Phonotactic Patterns

  2007cites this paper
• Typology in Optimality Theory

  2007cites this paper
• ACL Lifetime Achievement Award: Word Play

  2007cites this paper
• Generation and Parsing in Optimality Theoretic Syntax Issues in the Formalization of OT-LFG

  2007cites this paper
• Harmonic grammar with linear programming

  2007cites this paper
• A Transformation-Based Learning Method on Generating Korean Standard Pronunciation

  2007cites this paper
• What Is Optimality Theory?

  2007cites this paper
• Some Interdefinability Results for Syntactic Constraint Classes

  2007cites this paper
• Linguistic Optimization ∗

  2007cites this paper
• Learning Quantity Insensitive Stress Systems via Local Inference

  2006cites this paper
• Using Entropy to Learn OT Grammarsfrom Surface Forms Alone

  2006cites this paper