Free variation in phonology refers to the phenomenon where speakers of a language produce

different pronunciations of a particular sound or group of sounds in a given context, without

any change in meaning or grammaticality. Unlike allophonic variation, which occurs
predictably based on phonetic context, free variation happens arbitrarily and can vary from
speaker to speaker or even within the speech of a single individual.

For instance, in some dialects of English, the vowel sound in words like "cat" may vary
between [æ] and [a] without any difference in meaning or grammaticality. Similarly, the
pronunciation of the "t" sound in words like "butter" may vary between a true [t] and a glottal
stop [ʔ] without affecting the word's interpretation.

Free variation can occur for various reasons, including regional dialects, individual speech
patterns, social factors, and linguistic change over time. Linguists study free variation to
understand how language is used by speakers in natural contexts and how it evolves over
time. Certainly! Here are some examples of free variation in phonology:

1. /æ/ sound: In many dialects of English, the vowel sound in words like "cat" can vary
between [æ] (as in "cat") and [a] (as in "cat"). For example, some speakers may
pronounce "cat" with a more fronted [æ], while others may pronounce it with a more
open [a], and both pronunciations are considered acceptable within their respective
dialects.
2. /t/ sound: The pronunciation of the "t" sound in words like "butter" can vary between
a true [t] and a glottal stop [ʔ]. So, some speakers might pronounce "butter" with a
clear [t], while others might replace it with a glottal stop [ʔ], resulting in "bu'er".
3. /r/ sound: In some dialects, the pronunciation of the "r" sound can vary between a
tapped [ɾ] and a retroflex approximant [ɻ]. For example, in American English, the
word "better" might be pronounced with a tapped [ɾ] by some speakers ("be'er") and
with a retroflex approximant [ɻ] by others ("be'er").
4. /l/ sound: The pronunciation of the "l" sound can vary between a clear [l] and a dark
[ɫ] sound. For instance, in some dialects of English, the word "milk" might be
pronounced with a clear [l] ("milk") by some speakers and with a dark [ɫ] ("miwk") by
others.
5. /θ/ and /ð/ sounds: In some dialects, the voiceless dental fricative /θ/ (as in "thing")
and the voiced dental fricative /ð/ (as in "this") can vary between dental and alveolar
realizations. For example, some speakers might pronounce "thing" with a dental [θ],
while others might use an alveolar [s] sound ("sing"). Similarly, "this" might be
pronounced with a dental [ð], while others might use an alveolar [d] sound ("dis").

These examples demonstrate how free variation can occur across different sounds in a
language, influenced by factors such as regional dialects, individual speech patterns, and
social factors.

Thank you for providing a succinct definition of free variation in phonology. This definition
highlights that in free variation, two or more sounds, called allophones, can occur
interchangeably in the same phonetic environment without changing the meaning of the word
or creating a different word altogether. As a result, these sounds are considered variants of
the same phoneme.

For example, consider the English phoneme /p/. In some dialects or speech styles, the
aspirated [ph] and unaspirated [p] occur in free variation. In words like "pat" and "bat," the
initial sound can be pronounced as [ph] (aspirated) or [p] (unaspirated), and there's no change
in meaning between the two pronunciations. Thus, [ph] and [p] are considered variants of the
phoneme /p/ in these dialects or speech styles.

Understanding free variation is crucial for phonologists and linguists as it helps in analyzing
the phonological rules and patterns of a language, as well as understanding the variations in
pronunciation among speakers.

Absolutely, you're correct. Free variation occurs when phonetically different sounds, called
allophones, can appear in the same phonetic environment without changing the meaning of
the word. These sounds are considered variants of the same phoneme because they do not
create a contrast in meaning.

For instance, in some dialects of English, the /t/ sound can be pronounced as a clear [t] or as a
glottal stop [ʔ] in certain environments without changing the meaning of the words. Words
like "butter" can be pronounced with a clear [t] or with a glottal stop [ʔ] in free variation.
Both pronunciations are acceptable and do not alter the meaning of the word.

Understanding free variation is crucial for phonologists and linguists because it helps in
analyzing the phonological patterns of a language and understanding the variations in
pronunciation among different speakers or dialects.

In Yoruba, a tonal language spoken primarily in Nigeria and some parts of Benin and Togo,
there are instances of free variation in pronunciation. Here are some examples:

1. Pronunciation of "r" sound: In Yoruba, the sound represented by the letter "r" can
vary between a tapped [ɾ] and a trilled [r]. For example, the word "ọ̀rọ̀" meaning
"word" can be pronounced as [ɔ̀ɾɔ̀] or [ɔ̀rɔ̀], with both pronunciations being common
in different dialects or among different speakers.
2. Pronunciation of nasal vowels: Yoruba has nasal vowel sounds, such as [ã], [ẽ], [ɔ̃],
etc. The nasalization of these vowels can vary between speakers and dialects. For
instance, the word "ọmọ" meaning "child" can be pronounced with varying degrees of
nasalization, ranging from [õmõ] to [omɔ].
3. Pronunciation of consonants before high vowels: The pronunciation of certain
consonants before high vowels (i.e., /i/ and /u/) can vary. For example, the word "iṣẹ́"
meaning "work" can be pronounced with a palatalized [ʃ] sound or a non-palatalized
[ʃ] sound depending on the dialect or speaker.
4. Pronunciation of mid vowels: The mid vowels [e] and [o] can sometimes be
pronounced as slightly diphthongized [ei] and [ou], especially in certain contexts or
speech styles. For instance, the word "rẹ" meaning "his/hers/its" can be pronounced as
[re] or [rei].

These examples demonstrate how free variation can occur in Yoruba pronunciation, with
different speakers or dialects exhibiting variations in the pronunciation of certain sounds
without changing the meaning of words.

In Igbo, a tonal language spoken primarily in Nigeria, there are also instances of free
variation in pronunciation. Here are some examples:
 1. Pronunciation of "l" and "r" sounds: In Igbo, the distinction between the "l" and
"r" sounds is not as strict as in English. The sounds [l] and [r] can often occur in free
variation in the same phonetic environment without affecting the meaning of words.
For example, the word "ụlọ" meaning "house" can be pronounced as [ụlọ] or [ụrọ].
2. Pronunciation of nasal vowels: Similar to Yoruba, Igbo also has nasal vowel sounds,
such as [ã], [ẽ], [ɔ̃], etc. The nasalization of these vowels can vary between speakers
and dialects. For example, the word "ọnụ" meaning "life" can be pronounced with
varying degrees of nasalization, ranging from [õnʊ] to [ɔnʊ].
3. Pronunciation of consonants before high vowels: The pronunciation of certain
consonants before high vowels (i.e., /i/ and /u/) can vary. For instance, the word "nri"
meaning "to eat" can be pronounced with a palatalized [ɲ] sound or a non-palatalized
[n] sound depending on the dialect or speaker.
4. Pronunciation of tones: While Igbo is a tonal language with three basic tones (high,
mid, and low), there can be free variation in tone realization, especially in unstressed
syllables or in rapid speech. For example, the word "nwanne" meaning "sibling" can
be pronounced with variations in tone placement, such as [nwánne], [nwànné], or
[nwánnè].

These examples illustrate how free variation can occur in Igbo pronunciation, with different
speakers or dialects exhibiting variations in the pronunciation of certain sounds or tones
without changing the meaning of words.

In Hausa, a Chadic language spoken primarily in Nigeria and Niger, free variation in
phonology can be observed in several aspects of pronunciation. Here are some examples:

1. Pronunciation of the glottal stop: In Hausa, the glottal stop [ʔ] can sometimes occur
in free variation with a simple hiatus or a brief pause. For example, the word "kòʔò"
meaning "to come" can be pronounced as [kòʔò] with a glottal stop or as [kòo] with a
hiatus, and both pronunciations are acceptable.
2. Pronunciation of the retroflex flap: The retroflex flap [ɽ] in Hausa can vary in
pronunciation depending on the speaker and dialect. It can occur in free variation with
a tap [ɾ] or even a trill [r]. For example, the word "ɓárɓár" meaning "to murmur" can
be pronounced as [ɓárɓár], [ɓáɾɓár], or [ɓáɽɓár].
3. Pronunciation of long vowels: In some cases, long vowels in Hausa can exhibit free
variation in pronunciation, particularly in unstressed syllables or depending on
regional accents. For example, the long vowel [aː] in the word "màka" meaning "to
get" can sometimes be pronounced as [aː] or as [a].
4. Pronunciation of certain consonants before vowels: The pronunciation of certain
consonants before vowels, such as /b/, /d/, and /g/, can vary depending on dialectal
differences. For instance, the word "gòbà" meaning "to boil" can be pronounced with
a prenasalized [ɡ͡mb] or with a plain [ɡb].
5. Tone variation: While Hausa is a tonal language with high and low tones, there can
be variation in tone realization, especially in rapid speech or depending on dialectal
differences. For example, the word "zùma" meaning "to arrive" can be pronounced
with a high tone on the first syllable ([zúmà]) or with a high tone on the second
syllable ([zùmá]).
These examples illustrate how free variation can occur in Hausa phonology, with variations
in pronunciation that do not change the meaning of words and are accepted within the
language's linguistic norms.

Free Variation
Definition:

Free variation is the interchangeable relationship between two phones, in which the
phones may substitute for one another in the same environment without causing a
change in meaning.
Discussion:

Free variation may occur between allophones or phonemes.

Examples:

(English)

 In utterance-final position, there is free variation between unreleased and

aspirated plosives, as demonstrated below:
o [hQt|] ‘hat’
o [hQtH] ‘hat’
 In the word ‘data’, there is free variation between the phonemes /eJ/ and /Q/,
as demonstrated below:
o [deJR«] ‘data’
o [dQR«] ‘data’

In phonetics and phonology, free variation is an

alternative pronunciation of a word (or of a phoneme in a word)
that doesn't affect the word's meaning.
Free variation is "free" in the sense that a different pronunciation
doesn't result in a different word or meaning. This is possible
because some allophones and phonemes are interchangeable and
can be substituted for each other or said to have overlapping
distribution.
Definition of Free Variation
Alan Cruttenden, author of Gimson's Pronunciation of English,
offers a clear definition of free variation by giving an example:
"When the same speaker produces noticeably different
pronunciations of the word cat (e.g. by exploding or not exploding
the final /t/), the different realizations of the phonemes are said to
be in free variation," (Cruttenden 2014).
Why Free Variation Is Hard to Find

READ MORE
Discover Linguistic Variation's Rich Tapestry
By Richard Nordquist

Most subtle differences in speech are intentional and meant to alter

meaning, which makes free variation less common than you might
think. As William B. McGregor observes, "Absolutely free variation
is rare. Usually, there are reasons for it, perhaps the
speaker's dialect, perhaps the emphasis the speaker wants to put
on the word," (McGregor 2009).
Elizabeth C. Zsiga echoes this, explaining also that free variation is
not predictable because it is context-dependent and could be due to
any number of environmental factors. "Sounds that are in free
variation occur in the same context, and thus are not predictable,
but the difference between the two sounds does not change one
word into another. Truly free variation is rather hard to find.
Humans are very good at picking up distinctions in ways of
speaking, and assigning meaning to them, so finding distinctions
that are truly unpredictable and that truly have no shade of
difference in meaning is rare," (Zsiga 2013).
How Predictable Is Free Variation?
It should not be assumed, however, that because free variation is
not necessarily predictable that it is entirely unpredictable. René
Kager writes, "The fact that variation is 'free' does not imply that it
is totally unpredictable, but only that no grammatical principles
govern the distribution of variants. Nevertheless, a wide range of
extragrammatical factors may affect the choice of one variant over
the other, including sociolinguistic variables (such as gender, age,
and class), and performance variables (such as speech style and
tempo). Perhaps the most important diagnostic of extragrammatical
variables is that they affect the choice of occurrence of one output
in a stochastic way, rather than deterministically," (Kager 2004).
Where Free Variation Is Found
There is a good deal of flexibility, both grammatically and
geographically, regarding where free variation can be found. Take
a look at some of the patterns. "[F]ree variation, however
infrequent, can be found between the realizations of separate
phonemes (phonemic free variation, as in [i] and [aI] of either), as
well as between the allophones of the same phoneme (allophonic
free variation, as in [k] and [k˥] of back)," begins Mehmet
Yavas. "For some speakers, [i] may be in free variation with [I] in
final position (e.g. city [sIti, sItI], happy [hӕpi, hӕpI]). The use of
final unstressed [I] is most common to the south of a line drawn
west from Atlantic City to northern Missouri, thence southwest to
New Mexico," (Yavas 2011).
Riitta Välimaa-Blum goes into more detail about exactly where free
variation of phonemes can occur in a word: "There can ... be free
variation between full and reduced vowels in unstressed syllables,
which also has to do with related morphemes. For example, the
word affix can be a verb or a noun, and the form carries stress on
the final syllable and the latter on the initial one.
But in actual speech, the initial vowel of the verb is actually in free
variation with schwa and the full vowel: /ə'fIks/ and /ӕ'fIks/, and
this unstressed full vowel is the same as that found in the initial
syllable of the noun, /ӕ'fIks/. This kind of alternation is probably
due to the fact that both forms actually occur, and they are
instances of two lexical items that are not just formally but also
semantically closely related. Cognitively, when only one is actually
evoked in a given construction, both are probably activated
nevertheless, and this is the likely source of this free variation,"
(Välimaa-Blum 2005).
Sources
 Cruttenden, Alan. Gimson's Pronunciation of English. 8th ed.,
Routledge, 2014.
 Kager, René. Optimality Theory. Cambridge University Press,
2004.
 McGregor, William B. Linguistics: An Introduction. Bloomsbury
Academic, 2009.
 Välimaa-Blum, Riitta. Cognitive Phonology in Construction Grammar.
Walter de Gruyter, 2005.
 Yavas, Mehmet. Applied English Phonology. 2nd ed., Wiley-
Blackwell, 2011.
 Zsiga, Elizabeth C. The Sounds of Language: An Introduction to Phonetics
and Phonology. Wiley-Blackwell, 2013.