| ROA: | 390 |
|---|---|
| Title: | The logic of Optimality Theory |
| Authors: | Michael Hammond |
| Comment: | 17pp, to appear in the proceedings of WECOL |
| Length: | 17 |
| Abstract: | The logic of Optimality Theory Michael Hammond University of Arizona This paper is an attempt to determine the underpinnings of Optimality Theory, and what logic might have to do with it. This is important because, without this kind of work, very strange misunderstandings of the theory crop up. The goals of the paper are as follows. First, I develop a logical statement of Optimality Theory. Next, I go on to prove some theorems. Third, I go on to show how the framework allows us to reason about partial derivations, and provides promise as the basis of a theory of acquisition and a theory of parsing. There are a number of results of this paper, but an important one is that I establish that OT allows for multiple winners. That is, a tableau can have several winning candidates. This may seem obvious to the reader familiar with OT, but many presentations of OT imply or even state that this isn't so. |
| Type: | Paper/tech report |
| Area/Keywords: | |
| Article: | Version 1 |