Underlying representations in dialectology

Current generative positions in dialectology have suggested that all dialects have the same underlying representations; this hypothesis has been offered to explain inter-dialectal communication. This paper argues that such an hypothesis, although perhaps reasonable, is not a necessary conclusion in explanation of inter-dialectal communication. The paper suggests that almost no empirical evidence has been offered in support of the hypothesis; more importantly, the paper argues that there are empirical and theoretical reasons for rejecting the claim.