The Place of Variation in Phonological Theory

Over the past 15 years, the study of variation has become increasingly important in phonology. As recently as 1995, the previous edition of this Handbook did not have a chapter on variation. In fact, the term “variation” does not even appear in its subject index. Today, any volume that attempts to give an overview of the current status of the field of theoretical phonology cannot go without a chapter dedicated to variation. In this chapter, we review how the fortunes of variation have changed over the past fifteen years, and discuss the some of the issues that arise in making a place for it in phonological theory.