This volume investigates the cognitive status of phonological representation and its relationship to phonetic implementation within the human mind. The authors, Bernard Laks and Jacques Durand, curate a collection of research from American and European specialists to argue that phonology functions as a distinct subsystem of the brain. The text examines the theoretical and practical implications of this perspective, bridging the gap between abstract mental sound systems and their physical realization in speech.

Experts recognize this volume as a significant contribution to theoretical linguistics, particularly for its interdisciplinary approach to sound processing. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for researchers and advanced students in the field of cognitive science and phonology.