Otherwise known as OT. This describes how surface forms of languages come to be, as a result of resolving conflicts between ''constraints'' on the language. For an example of how this leads to the English pronunciation of the word "monument," see http://ds.dial.pipex.com/town/lane/xvv88/Home/phon/ot01.htm (''BrokenLink 8/04'') The broken link in the Webarchive: http://web.archive.org/web/20020329030308/http://ds.dial.pipex.com/town/lane/xvv88/Home/phon/ot01.htm Mailing list for OT issues (at Rutgers): http://ruccs.rutgers.edu/ROA/o-list.html ---- CategoryNaturalLanguage