MATHEMATICAL DISTANCE BIAS STATEMENT: " It is true that some segments vary in their realization, but there exist distance metrics which enable one to compensate. Allophones are mathematically closest to their underlying phoneme (as opposed to some other underlying phoneme)." HOWEVER . . . VARIATION IS NOT JUST ACOUSTIC Philadelphia vowel raising: I can [k i - I n] (function word (modal) ) RAISING an aluminun can (content word ) NO RAISING The function word is probably "closest" to , anyway. $$$$ HELVETICA HELVETICA1(DEFAULTFONT 1 (GACHA 10) (GACHA 8) (TERMINAL 8)) :49&0#& :>kzą