ABSTRACT
The focus of phonology on linguistic structure and mental organization does not imply that the researchers are free to speculate at will. In fact, studies on any aspect of speech, physical or mental, must build upon empirical observation on a large scale. While the empirical nature of phonetic subjects such as speech articulation and acoustics is obvious, the same standards also apply to phonology, where linguistic systems, structures, and distinctions are equally subject to empirical justification.
