Fwd: McMahon, "Change, Chance, and Optimality"

[Dave Robertson]

Colleagues in linguistics:

Given the domination exerted by Optimality Theory these days in the study of Pacific Northwest languages (inter alia), I'm fascinated to hear of a book like this, and would like to hear discussion of the possible applications of O.T. to language contact as a subset of linguistic change.  Any of you versed in Optimality and possessed of an opinion?

As is well known, pidgin & creole studies have turned to several different models in the search for a useful explanation of the genesis and evolution of such languages, e.g. to an analogy with children's language acquisition, to a concept of "abrupt creolization", and so on.  What might O.T. contribute which would explain facts previously unaccounted for by these theories?

Dave

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 12.407, Books: Language Change, Typology
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2001 15:00:32 -0000

Date:  Mon, 12 Feb 2001 12:23:58 -0500
From:  Kimberly Kahn <KRK at OUP-USA.ORG>
Subject:  Language Change: Change, Chance, and Optimality by A. McMahon

CHANGE, CHANCE, AND OPTIMALITY
April McMahon, University of Sheffield

This book is about how languages change. It is also a devastating
critique of a widespread linguistic orthodoxy. April McMahon argues
that to provide a convincing explanation of linguistic change the
roles of history and contingency must be accommodated in linguistic
theory. She also shows that theoretical work in related disciplines
can be used to assess the value of such theories.

Optimality Theory, or OT as it is usually called, dominates
contemporary phonology, especially in the USA, and is becoming
increasingly influential in syntax and language acquisition. Having
set out its basis principles, Professor McMahon assesses their
explanatory power in analysing language change and its residues in
current phonological systems. Using cross-linguistic data, and drawing
comparisons with other theories inside and outside linguistics, she
shows that OT is incapable of accounting for language change, without
the addition of rules and an appreciation of chance and historical
contingency that would then undermine its theoretical underpinnings.

"A stunning book, elegantly argued and deftly written. A major
 theoretical critique, confronting Optimality Theory and other
 formalist innatist paradigms with the realities of evolutionary
 biology and neuroscience. One of the most important and sophisticated
 works in phonological theory of the past couple of decades."--Roger
 Lass, University of Cape Town

"This book is a careful study of some of the fundamental issues
 underpinning current linguistics, especially Optimality Theory, and it
 is a very welcome and timely contribution to debate in that area."--
 Andrew Spencer, University of Essex

November 2000   216 pp.; 1 line illus
0-19-824124-0 cloth $60.00
0-19-824125-9 paper $19.95
Oxford University Press
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kimberly Kahn
Oxford University Press, 198 Madison Avenue, New
York, NY 10016
Phone: (212) 726-6086   Fax: (212) 726-6442  E-mail: krk at oup-usa.org


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