If you have any questions, you are always welcome to contact us. We'll get back to you as soon as possible, withing 24 hours on weekdays.
Customer service
All questions about your order, return and delivery must be sent to our customer service team by e-mail at yourstore@yourdomain.com
Sale & Press
If you are interested in selling our products, need more information about our brand or wish to make a collaboration, please contact us at press@yourdomain.com
Help
If you have any questions, you are always welcome to contact us. We'll get back to you as soon as possible, withing 24 hours on weekdays.
Customer service
All questions about your order, return and delivery must be sent to our customer service team by e-mail at yourstore@yourdomain.com
Sale & Press
If you are interested in selling our products, need more information about our brand or wish to make a collaboration, please contact us at press@yourdomain.com
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 crosslinguistic 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.
⚠️ WARNING (California Proposition 65):
This product may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer,
birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
<div class="dynamic-checkout__content" id="dynamic-checkout-cart" data-shopify="dynamic-checkout-cart"> <shopify-accelerated-checkout-cart wallet-configs="[{"supports_subs":true,"supports_def_opts":false,"name":"shop_pay","wallet_params":{"shopId":73758048501,"merchantName":"Ergodebooks","personalized":true}},{"supports_subs":false,"supports_def_opts":false,"name":"amazon_pay","wallet_params":{"checkoutLanguage":"en_US","ledgerCurrency":"USD","placement":"Cart","sandbox":false,"merchantId":"A1G1ZY975O1T6J","productType":"PayAndShip","design":"C0002"}},{"supports_subs":true,"supports_def_opts":false,"name":"paypal","wallet_params":{"shopId":73758048501,"countryCode":"US","merchantName":"Ergodebooks","phoneRequired":true,"companyRequired":false,"shippingType":"shipping","shopifyPaymentsEnabled":true,"hasManagedSellingPlanState":false,"requiresBillingAgreement":false,"merchantId":"L873BZSC9NMQS","sdkUrl":"https://www.paypal.com/sdk/js?components=buttons\u0026commit=false\u0026currency=USD\u0026locale=en_US\u0026client-id=AbasDhzlU0HbpiStJiN1KRJ_cNJJ7xYBip7JJoMO0GQpLi8ePNgdbLXkC7_KMeyTg8tnAKW4WKrh9qmf\u0026merchant-id=L873BZSC9NMQS\u0026intent=authorize"}}]" access-token="c0f52a66b386e9fa5c0ab4c2febc737c" buyer-country="US" buyer-locale="en" buyer-currency="USD" shop-id="73758048501" cart-id="b9757ec4ac2bcbed4c99e192b06b90fb" enabled-flags="["d6d12da0","32a68cd0","a1c7ccbe","ce346acf","c0874428"]" > <div class="wallet-button-wrapper"> <ul class='wallet-cart-grid wallet-cart-grid--skeleton' role="list" data-shopify-buttoncontainer="true"> <li data-testid='grid-cell' class='wallet-cart-button-container'><div class='wallet-cart-button wallet-cart-button__skeleton' role='button' disabled aria-hidden='true'> </div></li><li data-testid='grid-cell' class='wallet-cart-button-container'><div class='wallet-cart-button wallet-cart-button__skeleton' role='button' disabled aria-hidden='true'> </div></li><li data-testid='grid-cell' class='wallet-cart-button-container'><div class='wallet-cart-button wallet-cart-button__skeleton' role='button' disabled aria-hidden='true'> </div></li> </ul> </div> </shopify-accelerated-checkout-cart> <small id="shopify-buyer-consent" class="hidden" aria-hidden="true" data-consent-type="subscription"> One or more of the items in your cart is a recurring or deferred purchase. By continuing, I agree to the <span id="shopify-subscription-policy-button">cancellation policy</span> and authorize you to charge my payment method at the prices, frequency and dates listed on this page until my order is fulfilled or I cancel, if permitted. </small> </div>
Stay in the know
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on latest offers, discounts and events near you.
For MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) violations and Intellectual Property (IP) or Trademark concerns, please contact:
support@ergodebooks.com
⚠️ California Proposition 65 Warning: Some products sold on this website may expose you to chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. For more information, visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.