In addition, each individual will not pronounce the word me in a physically identical
manner on every occasion. Obvious differences occur when that individual is shouting, is
suffering from a bad cold or is asking for a sixth martini. Given this vast range of potential
differences in the actual physical production of a speech sound, how do we manage
consistently to recognize all those versions of me as the form [mi], and not [ni] or [si] or [ma]
or [mo] or something else entirely? The answer to that question is provided to a large extent
by the study of phonology.