Optimality Theory, Phonological Acquisition and Disorders Edited by: Daniel A. Dinnsen and Judith A. Gierut Focusing on the phonologies of children with functional (non-organic) speech disorders, this volume reports the latest findings in optimality theory, phonological acquisition and disorders. The book is based on typological, cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental evidence from over 200 children. It stands out because of the unique test case that the population offers to optimality theory, particularly with respect to puzzles of opacity, lawful orders of acquisition, and language learnability. Beyond its theoretical significance, this research holds clinical relevance for the assessment and treatment of disordered populations, most notably the systematic prediction of learning outcomes. The volume bridges the gap between theory and application by showing how each informs the other. It is intended for linguists, psychologists, speech pathologists, second-language instructors and those interested in the latest developments in phonological theory and its applied extensions. Daniel A. Dinnsen is Chancellor's Professor of Linguistics and Adjunct Professor of Speech and Hearing Sciences at Indiana University, Bloomington. He is also a member of the Program in Cognitive Science and core faculty of the NIH Training Grant in Speech, Hearing, and Sensory Communication. He is Co-Principal investigator of the Learnability Project, funded by the National Institutes of Health. Judith A. Gierut is Professor of Speech and Hearing Sciences and Cognitive Science and Adjunct Professor of Linguistics at Indiana University, Bloomington. She is the principal Investigator and Director of the Learnability Project, funded by the National Institute of Health.