Stratal Optimality Theory and its application on Persian Language

Being a descriptive-analytic research in Persian language, the present study deals with morphophonological processes to examine the performance of Stratal Optimality Theory for the first time.  Stratal OT is a hybrid model of OT in which the insights of Lexical Phonology and Morphology are broadly combined with parallel OT. Stratal OT posits constraint evaluation at three distinct levels or strata: stem, word and phrase level and as such it can show the intermediate levels showing the formation of the optimal option. This multi-level variation of the original OT model may provide more economical and elegant explanations of problems involving opacity, derived environment effects than other Parallel OT theories that have been developed to address these issues.The data in this research have been collected through databases and written phonological resources. This paper studies deletion, insertion and compensatory lengthening processes within Stratal OT. The relevant constraints and their interactions in each level have been represented through different tablues. The results showed that Stratal OT has more explanatory power than Parallel OT to explain the mentioned  processes. Interestingly, Constraints at each level follow a consistent ranking pattern.