"This is the book we have all been waiting for. By 'we' I mean everybody who is not a cutting-edge researcher in OT phonology but who hopes to become one, or who needs to know about OT in order to teach phonology in an up-to-date fashion, or who is interested in what has been perhaps the most vigorous and fruitful trend in generative linguistic theory in the last decade." The Linguist List "Optimality Theory in Phonology goes far beyond the trite ‘required reading for linguists’ seen on many book jackets. John McCarthy's introductions to each chapter and study questions/discussion points at the end create a volume that is coherent, thought-provoking, and fun. The selection of articles included, the careful editing, and the thoughtful organization of the chapters render this work invaluable. The result is a clear three-way focus on the precise nature of the theory itself, its implications, and its empirical justification." Diana Archangeli, University of Arizona "By carefully selecting and editing the most relevant and influential papers of the early years of Optimality Theory, John McCarthy accomplishes the unlikely feat of combining the depth of the original articles with the comprehensive coverage of a well-balanced textbook. His graded 'study and research questions' will both guide the novice and challenge the expert." Paul Boersma, University of Amsterdam