In 1993, Prince and Smolensky developed a new approach to this subfield based on evaluating "constraint"sets, called Optimality Theory.
In 1993, Prince and Smolensky developed a new approach to this subfield based on evaluating "constraint"sets, called Optimality Theory. The basic units of study in this subfield are represented as a column ofproperties marked with pluses and minuses within a large set of brackets in Roman Jakobson's "distinctivefeature" theory. This subfield might study when "underlying representations" are affected by changes such assyncope or epenthesis, and seeks rules determining when people might produce or perceive features such asaspiration or voicing. For 10 points, name this subfield of linguistics focused on the rules and patterns ofsounds within language, whose basic unit is the phoneme. 
In 1993, Prince and Smolensky developed a new approach to this subfield based on evaluating "constraint"sets, called Optimality Theory.
phonology [prompt on "linguistics" or "computational linguistics" before mention; do not accept "phonetics"]