Primitives of phonological structure The primitives of phonological theory whether we call them features elements gestures or by some other name stand in some relation to phonetic reality. Although there is consensus about this there seems to be little agreement about most of the specifics involved. How many features are there Are they privative or binary Do segments need to be specified for all features This book brings together discussions and investigations touching on these pressing and central issues from phonologists working in different traditions ranging from Articulatory Phonology to traditional Distinctive Feature Theory to Element Theory instantiating a wide range of views on the phonological primitives covering a wide range of methodologies and domains including experimental work fieldwork language acquisition aphasia theory internal concerns and many more. Through this diversity the book offers new insights both on the empirical and theoretical side of the primitives as well as the commonalities and fundamental differences between the various approaches