Universal and Language Particular Constraints in OT-LFG

Optimality Theory claims that all typological variations can be explained in terms of language particular differences in the ranking of universal constraints. Based on patterns in verb morphology, and the phenomenon of OCP, this paper argues for another source of typological variation, namely, that of language particular manifestations of universal constraint cores, or constraint schemas, and thereby supplementing the mechanism of constraint ranking with that of constraint generation.