Some sounds never occur in one position but are plentiful in others: [] occurs medially (`singing') and finally `sing' but can't occur in initial position. Many sounds are limited in their distribution in some dialects but not in others: [æ] may not occur before [r] in many people's speech: `parish' [pæ rI S] and `perish' [prI S] may be pronounced alike, i.e. as `perish'.
fn: intro057.tex Fri Jan 17 09:48:14 EST 1997