ABSTRACT
The aim of this chapter was to contrast two theoretical approaches, classical phonetics and cognitive phonetics. Starting with early work in the 1900s, we trace the development of phonetic theory from traditional linear approaches to non-linear hierarchical theories that are more common in current research. Although classical phonetics has its place in the body of knowledge, a key failure was its inability to differentiate between cognitive representation and physical instantiation. We argue that cognitive phonetics is a rigorous computational approach that allows the researcher to draw out gaps in the theory and thus is able to guide future thought and experimental work.
