VARIATION THEORY 
IN A DIAGRAM

© 1992 by Orchid Land Publications
here copied from Essays on time-based linguistic analysis
(Oxford University Press)
© 1996 by Charles-James N. Bailey Rev. Trust

     The following diagram shows how to move from chaos of regional or social space to the order found in the grammar (in someone's head); it captures the essence of variation theory.  For applying the methodology to very complex and previously unsolved problems, see Ch. 4 of the aforementioned book.

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