A Users Guide to the Optimality Interpreter: A Software Tool for Optimality Theoretic Analysis1

Optimality Theory (Prince & Smolensky 1993) is a constraint-based formalism that has been successfully applied to the explanation of various phenomena of language in the areas of both phonology and syntax. While OT is not inherently computational, it requires some symbol manipulation, and so lends itself to facilitation through software that can aid in the design of optimality theoretic solutions. Such a software application, the Optimality Interpreter, is described in this document. The Interpreter allows for the specification of constraints and competing candidates, as well as valuation of the well-formedness of candidates vis-à-vis the constraints. Constraint orderings can be used to determine the most harmonic candidates, or the Interpreter can determine the existence of a constraint ordering that will force a specified candidate to win. In addition, the interaction of candidate sets can be explored, with implications for the explanation or definition of language typologies. This document describes the functionality of the Optimality Interpreter, provides a detailed tutorial of its application to a problem in syntax from the literature, and discusses the algorithms and data structures underlying the application’s implementation. A user's manual is included as an appendix.