The central analytic-theoretical task of the project is to integrate the constraint-based core-periphery model of the phonological lexicon into Optimality Theory (OT). Optimality Theory deals with the interaction of phonological constraints with each other and is built on the idea that constraints are ranked and violable. Exploratory work on Japanese indicates that developing the core-periphery model of the lexicon within OT not only leads to a much improved understanding of lexical organization and of the principles that give rise to it, but in turn also makes a contribution to Optimality Theory itself, and leads to many new empirical and theoretical issues. These issues will be investigated through detailed empirical analyses of the phonological lexica of particular languages (in order to sharpen and test the details of the theory) and through cross-language surveys (in order to secure the topological validity of the predictions). The results of the project will be reported in research articles and conference papers as they become available; and the main empirical findings and theoretical conclusions will be consolidated and summarized In a monograph at the end of the project.
