0. Introduction In developing generative theories of syntax the challenge has long been to reconcile two opposite kinds of empirical evidence. On the one hand, there is substantial evidence that languages of the world are deeply similar; on the other, there is also substantial evidence that they differ on the surface. For example, there are languages which allow sentences without a pronounced s...

How much terrestrial precipitation is used by vegetation and how runs off, represents central issues in hydrologic science, ecology, climate change, even geopolitics. We present a theory for the water balance to predict fractional change streamflow due given changes temperature precipitation. The involves single parameter whose value derived under conditions of neither energy- nor water-limitat...

This paper presents a new finite-state model of Optimality Theory (OT). In this model, two assumptions are imposed on the OT framework. Firstly, I adopt the Harmonic Serialism version of OT, in which output forms are derived from input forms via a series of incremental changes. Secondly, constraints are assumed to be strictly local in the sense that each markedness constraint specifies a set of...

This paper ties up some loose ends in finite-state Optimality Theory. First, it discusses how to perform comprehension under Optimality Theory grammars consisting of finite-state constraints. Comprehension has not been much studied in OT; we show that unlike production, it does not always yield a regular set, making finite-state methods inapplicable. However, after giving a suitably flexible pr...

This paper explores several patterns of consonantal weakening such as voicing and spirantization. Given that such weakening usually applies to either intervocalic or intersonorant obstruents, this paper contends that inherently redundant features such as [voice] for sonorants or [continuant] for vowels, cannot license their syllabic constituents, thus triggering consonantal weakening. In additi...

This paper explores an optimality-theoretic approach to syntax based on Tree-Adjoining Grammars (TAG), where two separate optimizations are responsible for the construction of local pieces of tree structure (elementary trees) and the combination of these pieces of structure. The local optimization takes a non-recursive predicate-argument structure (PA-chunk) as an underlying representation and ...

This paper introduces primitive Optimality Theory (OTP), a linguistically motivated formalization of OT. OTP speci es the class of autosegmental representations, the universal generator Gen, and the two simple families of permissible constraints. In contrast to less restricted theories using Generalized Alignment, OTP's optimal surface forms can be generated with nite-state methods adapted from...

Is Optimality Theory a constraining theory? A formal analysis shows that it is, if two auxiliary assumptions are made: (1) that only markedness and faithfulness constraints are allowed, and (2) that input and output representations are made from the same elements. Such OT grammars turn out to be incapable of computing circular or infinite chain shifts. These theoretical predictions are borne ou...

ACAL, held at the University of Illinois in 1989. At that time, the dominant research paradigm was autosegmental phonology, a theory which is concerned with issues in the representation of distinctive features (Goldsmith 1976; Leben 2006). Work on African language phonology was so central to the development of autosegmental phonology, that Goldsmith (1990) in his presentation felt no need to de...