McCarthy, John J2024-04-262024-04-262007-01-01https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14394/32551Optimality Theory is a general model of how grammars are structured. This article surveys the motivations for OT, its core principles, and the basics of analysis. It also addresses some frequently asked questions about this theory and offers suggestions for further reading.2007MorphologyNear Eastern Languages and SocietiesPhonetics and Phonologyarticle