Optimality Theory - is grammar about rules or constraints? -- Linguistics 101

A very short introduction to Optimality Theory, a linguistic framework that attempts to account for the grammar of human languages.
Traditional models of grammar rely on complementary, unbreakable rules. The outcomes (sounds, words and sentences) follow those rules.
Optimality Theory models grammar with ranked, violable, competing constraints. The outcomes represent the best candidates - the ones incurring the least serious violations.
This video uses the analogy of two friends making plans for the night. One employs rule-based reasoning, the other constraint-based reasoning. The video then goes on to analyze the simplified grammar of plural -s (pronounced [s] in 'hats' but [z] in 'bags') using an Optimality Theory tableau.
For an academic consideration of constraints, rules, optimal candidates, markedness/faithfulness and tableau conventions, refer to Prince & Smolensky, Optimality Theory: Constraint Interaction in Generative Grammar, sections 1.1, 1.2 and 2.2 (15).
Music by Kevin MacLeod

[@foggymedia]

"going to sleep" a constraint process - just too brilliant!!

[@noraisacoff6649]

Thank you so much for this video! I often want to touch very, very briefly on OT in my language unit when teaching undergrad cog psych or psych of language classes. Students have often heard about rule-based approaches and not OT (especially if they don't have a real background in linguistics). I love how accessible you make this topic. It's perfect for a 5-minute intro to OT!

[@oliviasipka6]

Thank you! I understand this though you could have gone into more detail about the * and ! and the Tableau in terms of the *SS, Agree, Max, Dep and Indent. I wanted to know why the constraints are not rules too, so this was good to watch. Really simple and now I fully understand with your example.

[@NativLang]

Very happy to hear that. Thanks for the kind words!

[@meta2006]

Hey just a small correction... at 3:15 bag[v] matches voicing, bag[f] would be a candidate that violates both given constraints, for bag[v] we would need an even higher condition, say "keep the segments as close as the original one" (AKA faithness as we have in "keep same sounds").

[@electroflame6188]

Hey, this guy's pretty good. He should make more linguistics videos.

[@AndyBun]

This explains a lot about ASL. I've wondered how researchers can simply not have a conclusive answer to "are raised eyebrows syntax or inflection?" in a language actively used by so many people today. Also how it's so easy to learn, despite being TTC (rather than the SVO of English and Spanish I'm used to).

[@nushious]

Hey! Could you link me some papers or text on ASL and phonology? Or what you were referring to in the comment? It sounds super interesting, and is something I haven't thought about before. Thank you!

[@farzanehrahimi1944]

thanks a lot. it is 2019 and tomorrow I have an exam but I had no idea about optimality theory. your video make it clear to me! again thank you

[@zajasra.linguistics]

whoooffff! what an explanation! wonderful!

[@damayantitiwari6663]

Plz will it be possible for you make a short video or explain the dependeat case theory framework I am not able understand it I am trying my level hard I am reading marantzs Case and licensing

[@Ouvii]

I'm assuming that language change comes about under optimality theory due to changing constraints, most likely to a new generation of speakers that assume a mutated constraint hierarchy, since constraint hierarchies are usually implicit rather than explicit. The imperfections of most writing systems to represent spoken languages probably contributes a bit to the mutations, though I imagine it mostly slows them down.

[@languagelover9170]

Γειαα, με βοηθάς πολύ με τα βίντεό σου, η Γλωσσολογία ειναι ΤΕΛΕΙΑ. Ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ! Translation if you don't speak Modern Greek: :D Heyy, you help me a lot with your videos, Linguistics is AMAZING. Thank you very very much!

[@Royalty6932]

OT just made sense! Thank you.

[@safamerzah221]

That was exquisitely explained!

[@reth2834]

Two naïve questions: 1) Does Optimality Theory ever applies outside of phonology? 2) What might be some differences between constraints and conditioned rules (rules with condition(al)s in them)?

[@reth2834]

Also, thanks for the great video!

[@NativLang]

+Jinjie Dong Thank you! To your first question, I think most papers are published in phonology, but OT has been applied to syntax. I don't know if it applies outside of linguistics, but I did once read a paper using OT to explain ethics! Logical conditionals (implications) demand that if "thing 1" is true, then "thing 2" must follow. Constraints make no such demands - "thing 2" can in principle always be violated. That's at least one example of a difference.

[@limpalongthestreet]

Amazing job. Thank you!

[@fatimaelma2861]

Thank you

[@bobbie5646]

Thank you for the video, which is very informative and clear! Would you mind explaining a bit more about the "markedness constraints - ones that shape words and sounds"

[@MercyFlushable]

Great, thanks again!

[@kingofcowards1321]

ez a videó nagyon jó.

[@amazingvideoswithyasser9574]

.I am doing my Phd in syntax ?Can apply OT and make it my framework or Minimalist program is better Thanks for the video

[@NativLang]

You're welcome. I don't know. How much success have syntacticians have had with OT? I wish you great luck with your program!

[@linguistmuz]

Check out Ellen Woolford's and Geraldine Legendre's work on OT syntax!

[@hinaawan6858]

Do make a detailed video

[@frankharr9466]

That sounds like fun.

[@JazminMortimer]

This is Beautiful

[@NativLang]

Very kind, thank you!

[@thelovertunisia]

This constraints based vs. Rules based separates naive and idealistic people from pragmatics with life experience.

[@bdbdo]

Tyvm for this video it helps a lot . Is there any way to contact you for some issues related to language learning! ?

[@NativLang]

bdbdo 4545 Glad to hear it! You can reply here or directly on my channel (kzbin.info "about" tab), which has a "send message" button.

[@leventemaier7181]

Which is the most simple language on earth in terms of grammar? Is there a language that has almost no grammar? like without conjugation, cases, plurals, tenses and all those stuff

[@porteal8986]

Levente Maier grammar is an essential part of all languages

[@AmirBeysafer]

gr8 vid

[@NativLang]

+StudyingInFinlandVlogs Thanks! How's Finland? :D

[@rabiatuladawiyah2789]

i don't understand pleasee help me

[@mahasenhejazi8586]

I still can't understand :-(

[@Anonymoususer44569]

2020 anyone?