##  [Optimality Theory](/index.php/optimality-theory) 

  ##  [Optimality Theory](https://humanitites.quantumdictionary.io/optimality-theory-0) 

  

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**Humanities & Arts Dictionary**

 







 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

Definition

A constraint‑based linguistic model in which a generator produces a set of candidate outputs for an input and an evaluator selects the optimal candidate by comparing how candidates violate a hierarchy of ranked constraints (typically distinguishing markedness constraints from faithfulness constraints); the optimal form is the candidate with the least serious violation pattern under the ranking.