Getting ready for primetime: Paths to acquiring substance-free phonology

Abstract Substance-free phonology (SFP) is based on the hypothesis that phonological computation makes no reference to phonetic substance, and features are treated as arbitrary symbols for purposes of computation. However, phonologists within SFP tradition disagree about whether content innate or learned (“emergent”), if learned, acquisition process patterning alone refers substance. In present article we identify predictive differences between these accounts. We conclude there an basis features, but featural not innate. suggest a hybrid phonetic-phonological approach feature may ultimately be most successful.