The Drawbacks of Optimality Theoretic Phonology: Objections and Refutations

Fareed Hameed Al-Hindawi; Mustafa Abdulsahib Abdulkareem

doi:doi:10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12

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The Drawbacks of Optimality Theoretic Phonology: Objections and Refutations

Fareed Hameed Al-Hindawi, Mustafa Abdulsahib Abdulkareem

Published in Communication and Linguistics Studies (Volume 7, Issue 2)

Received: 17 December 2019 Accepted: 27 December 2019 Published: 28 June 2021

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Abstract

Optimality theory was introduced in the early 1990s as an alternative model of the organization of natural human language sound systems. It suggests that the observed forms of language arise from the optimal satisfaction of conflicting constraints. Optimality theory differs from other approaches to phonology, like autosegmental phonology and linear phonology (The Sound Pattern of English), which are typically rule-based approaches rather than constraints (such as faithfulness and markedness operating between underlying forms, inputs, and surface representations, outputs). This study briefly reviews the rise of Optimality theory and its main tenets, teasing out a detailed study of the various critiques that have been addressed to the Optimality theory and its theoretical and applicable domains. It presents a critical appraisal of the role of Optimality theory in phonology to show its main shortcomings and defects. In addition to other criticisms directed to the theory that are triggered by different scholars, the study suggests some other weak points that may be added to those pointed out by such previous critiques. On the basis of what is revealed by the criticism, it is concluded that Optimality theory suffers from different shortcomings and problems. Six problems are identified: the ambiguity of generating process, not paying attention to the lexicon, the uselessness of creativity of mind, wrong ranking, diversity of the same sound in different languages, and focus on parallelism rather than serialism.

Published in	Communication and Linguistics Studies (Volume 7, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12
Page(s)	31-37
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Optimality Theory, Constraints, Generator, Evaluator, Ranking, Markedness, Faithfulness

References

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[3]	Ayieko, G. (2013). "The Perception and Learnability of English Prosodic Phonology by LUO Speakers: A Cross –Linguistic Experimental Study". Unpublished dissertation, University of Makerer.
[4]	Baker, A. (2005). "Parallel Lexical Optimality Theory". Linguistic Theory at the University of Arizona, 14, 1-36.
[5]	Burzio, L. (2000). "The rise of Optimality Theory". In Cheng‏, L. and Sybesma‏, R. (eds.), The First Glat International State-of-the-Article Book: The Latest in Linguistics. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, pp. 199-220.
[6]	Chomsky, N. (1965). Aspects of the Theory of Syntax. Massachusetts: MIT Press.
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[8]	Chomsky, N. (1995). The Minimalist Program. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
[9]	De Lacy, p. (ed.). (2007). The Cambridge Handbook of Phonology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[10]	Hagstrom, P. (1993). "On the problem of Infinity and Gen-Eval in Optimality Theory". Unpublished manuscript, MIT, Cambridge, MA.
[11]	Hermans, B. and Oostendorp, M. (1999). The Derivational Residue in Phonological Optimality Theory. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
[12]	Hoff, E. (2009). Language Development. New York: Wadsworth.
[13]	Idsardi, J. (2000). Clarifying opacity. The Linguistic Review 17: 337-50.
[14]	Idsardi, J. (2006). A Simple Proof that Optimality Theory is Computationally Intractable. Linguistic Inquiry 37: 271-275.
[15]	Kager, R. (2004) Optimality Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[16]	McCarthy, J. (1999). "Sympathy and Phonological Opacity". University of Massachusetts, Amherst 16, 1-52.
[17]	McCarthy, J. (2002) A Thematic Guide to Optimality Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[18]	McCarthy, J. (2003). "Optimality Theory: An Overview". Oxford International Encyclopedia of Linguistics. 56, 210-212.
[19]	McCarthy, J. (2007a). "What is Optimality Theory?" Language and Linguistics Compass 1: 260-291.
[20]	McCarthy, J. (2007b). Hidden Generalizations: Phonological Opacity in Optimality Theory. London: Equinox.
[21]	McCarthy, J. (2008). Doing Optimality Theory. Malden: Wiley Blackwell.
[22]	McCarthy, J. and Prince, A. (1993). "Generalized Alignment". In Booij, G. and Marle, J. (eds.), Yearbook of morphology. Dordrecht: Kluwer, pp. 79-153.
[23]	McCarthy, J. and Prince, A. (1995). "Faithfulness and reduplicative identity". In Beckman, J., Dickey, L., and Urbanczyk, S. (eds.), University of Massachusetts occasional papers in linguistics. Amherst, MA: GLSA Publications. pp. 249–384.
[24]	Prince, A. and Smolensky, P. (2004). Optimality Theory: Constraint Interaction in Generative Grammar. Malden: Blackwell.
[25]	Stemberger, B. (1996). "Optimality Theory and Phonological Development". Korean Journal of Linguistics 21; 93 138.
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[27]	Smith, N. (1997). "Shrinking and hopping vowels in Northern Cape York: Minimally different systems". In Hinskens, F., van Hout, R. and Wetzels, W. (eds.), Variation, Change and Phonological Theory. Amsterdam: Benjamins, PP. 267-302.

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Fareed Hameed Al-Hindawi, Mustafa Abdulsahib Abdulkareem. (2021). The Drawbacks of Optimality Theoretic Phonology: Objections and Refutations. Communication and Linguistics Studies, 7(2), 31-37. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12

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Fareed Hameed Al-Hindawi; Mustafa Abdulsahib Abdulkareem. The Drawbacks of Optimality Theoretic Phonology: Objections and Refutations. Commun. Linguist. Stud. 2021, 7(2), 31-37. doi: 10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12

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Fareed Hameed Al-Hindawi, Mustafa Abdulsahib Abdulkareem. The Drawbacks of Optimality Theoretic Phonology: Objections and Refutations. Commun Linguist Stud. 2021;7(2):31-37. doi: 10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12

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@article{10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12,
  author = {Fareed Hameed Al-Hindawi and Mustafa Abdulsahib Abdulkareem},
  title = {The Drawbacks of Optimality Theoretic Phonology: Objections and Refutations},
  journal = {Communication and Linguistics Studies},
  volume = {7},
  number = {2},
  pages = {31-37},
  doi = {10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.cls.20210702.12},
  abstract = {Optimality theory was introduced in the early 1990s as an alternative model of the organization of natural human language sound systems. It suggests that the observed forms of language arise from the optimal satisfaction of conflicting constraints. Optimality theory differs from other approaches to phonology, like autosegmental phonology and linear phonology (The Sound Pattern of English), which are typically rule-based approaches rather than constraints (such as faithfulness and markedness operating between underlying forms, inputs, and surface representations, outputs). This study briefly reviews the rise of Optimality theory and its main tenets, teasing out a detailed study of the various critiques that have been addressed to the Optimality theory and its theoretical and applicable domains. It presents a critical appraisal of the role of Optimality theory in phonology to show its main shortcomings and defects. In addition to other criticisms directed to the theory that are triggered by different scholars, the study suggests some other weak points that may be added to those pointed out by such previous critiques. On the basis of what is revealed by the criticism, it is concluded that Optimality theory suffers from different shortcomings and problems. Six problems are identified: the ambiguity of generating process, not paying attention to the lexicon, the uselessness of creativity of mind, wrong ranking, diversity of the same sound in different languages, and focus on parallelism rather than serialism.},
 year = {2021}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Drawbacks of Optimality Theoretic Phonology: Objections and Refutations
AU  - Fareed Hameed Al-Hindawi
AU  - Mustafa Abdulsahib Abdulkareem
Y1  - 2021/06/28
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DO  - 10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12
T2  - Communication and Linguistics Studies
JF  - Communication and Linguistics Studies
JO  - Communication and Linguistics Studies
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AB  - Optimality theory was introduced in the early 1990s as an alternative model of the organization of natural human language sound systems. It suggests that the observed forms of language arise from the optimal satisfaction of conflicting constraints. Optimality theory differs from other approaches to phonology, like autosegmental phonology and linear phonology (The Sound Pattern of English), which are typically rule-based approaches rather than constraints (such as faithfulness and markedness operating between underlying forms, inputs, and surface representations, outputs). This study briefly reviews the rise of Optimality theory and its main tenets, teasing out a detailed study of the various critiques that have been addressed to the Optimality theory and its theoretical and applicable domains. It presents a critical appraisal of the role of Optimality theory in phonology to show its main shortcomings and defects. In addition to other criticisms directed to the theory that are triggered by different scholars, the study suggests some other weak points that may be added to those pointed out by such previous critiques. On the basis of what is revealed by the criticism, it is concluded that Optimality theory suffers from different shortcomings and problems. Six problems are identified: the ambiguity of generating process, not paying attention to the lexicon, the uselessness of creativity of mind, wrong ranking, diversity of the same sound in different languages, and focus on parallelism rather than serialism.
VL  - 7
IS  - 2
ER  -

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Author Information

Fareed Hameed Al-Hindawi

Department of English, College of Education, Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
Mustafa Abdulsahib Abdulkareem

Department of English, Faculty of Education, Al-Zahraa University for Women, Karbala, Iraq

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APA Style

Fareed Hameed Al-Hindawi, Mustafa Abdulsahib Abdulkareem. (2021). The Drawbacks of Optimality Theoretic Phonology: Objections and Refutations. Communication and Linguistics Studies, 7(2), 31-37. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12

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ACS Style

Fareed Hameed Al-Hindawi; Mustafa Abdulsahib Abdulkareem. The Drawbacks of Optimality Theoretic Phonology: Objections and Refutations. Commun. Linguist. Stud. 2021, 7(2), 31-37. doi: 10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12

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AMA Style

Fareed Hameed Al-Hindawi, Mustafa Abdulsahib Abdulkareem. The Drawbacks of Optimality Theoretic Phonology: Objections and Refutations. Commun Linguist Stud. 2021;7(2):31-37. doi: 10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12,
  author = {Fareed Hameed Al-Hindawi and Mustafa Abdulsahib Abdulkareem},
  title = {The Drawbacks of Optimality Theoretic Phonology: Objections and Refutations},
  journal = {Communication and Linguistics Studies},
  volume = {7},
  number = {2},
  pages = {31-37},
  doi = {10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.cls.20210702.12},
  abstract = {Optimality theory was introduced in the early 1990s as an alternative model of the organization of natural human language sound systems. It suggests that the observed forms of language arise from the optimal satisfaction of conflicting constraints. Optimality theory differs from other approaches to phonology, like autosegmental phonology and linear phonology (The Sound Pattern of English), which are typically rule-based approaches rather than constraints (such as faithfulness and markedness operating between underlying forms, inputs, and surface representations, outputs). This study briefly reviews the rise of Optimality theory and its main tenets, teasing out a detailed study of the various critiques that have been addressed to the Optimality theory and its theoretical and applicable domains. It presents a critical appraisal of the role of Optimality theory in phonology to show its main shortcomings and defects. In addition to other criticisms directed to the theory that are triggered by different scholars, the study suggests some other weak points that may be added to those pointed out by such previous critiques. On the basis of what is revealed by the criticism, it is concluded that Optimality theory suffers from different shortcomings and problems. Six problems are identified: the ambiguity of generating process, not paying attention to the lexicon, the uselessness of creativity of mind, wrong ranking, diversity of the same sound in different languages, and focus on parallelism rather than serialism.},
 year = {2021}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Drawbacks of Optimality Theoretic Phonology: Objections and Refutations
AU  - Fareed Hameed Al-Hindawi
AU  - Mustafa Abdulsahib Abdulkareem
Y1  - 2021/06/28
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12
T2  - Communication and Linguistics Studies
JF  - Communication and Linguistics Studies
JO  - Communication and Linguistics Studies
SP  - 31
EP  - 37
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2380-2529
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20210702.12
AB  - Optimality theory was introduced in the early 1990s as an alternative model of the organization of natural human language sound systems. It suggests that the observed forms of language arise from the optimal satisfaction of conflicting constraints. Optimality theory differs from other approaches to phonology, like autosegmental phonology and linear phonology (The Sound Pattern of English), which are typically rule-based approaches rather than constraints (such as faithfulness and markedness operating between underlying forms, inputs, and surface representations, outputs). This study briefly reviews the rise of Optimality theory and its main tenets, teasing out a detailed study of the various critiques that have been addressed to the Optimality theory and its theoretical and applicable domains. It presents a critical appraisal of the role of Optimality theory in phonology to show its main shortcomings and defects. In addition to other criticisms directed to the theory that are triggered by different scholars, the study suggests some other weak points that may be added to those pointed out by such previous critiques. On the basis of what is revealed by the criticism, it is concluded that Optimality theory suffers from different shortcomings and problems. Six problems are identified: the ambiguity of generating process, not paying attention to the lexicon, the uselessness of creativity of mind, wrong ranking, diversity of the same sound in different languages, and focus on parallelism rather than serialism.
VL  - 7
IS  - 2
ER  -

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