Optimality theory and minimalism: A possible convergence?

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This issue of Linguistics in Potsdam features papers from the workshop on Descriptive and Empirical Adequacy in Linguistics held in Berlin from December 17-19, 2005. The workshop aimed to unite scholars from various frameworks, particularly the Minimalist Program and Optimality Theory, to discuss descriptive and empirical adequacy. A key focus was whether these frameworks are incompatible and competing or complementary in certain respects. Five of the seven papers stem from presentations at the workshop, while Vieri Samek-Lodovici’s contribution, though not presented there, synthesizes his insights from the discussions. The paper by Eva Engels and Sten Vikner addresses Scandinavian object shift, a topic of significant interest in both minimalist and optimality theoretic syntax. This serves as a practical example supporting a recurring claim in this volume: that minimalist and OT analyses, even when seemingly at odds, can constructively inform one another, enhancing our understanding of syntactic phenomena.