[…] if 'x' occurs with 'y' but not with 'z' then 'x' is to that extend limited in distribution (limited to occurring with 'y' as against 'z'). The componental indication of this is to say that 'x' has a long component in common with 'y' but not one in common with 'z' (i.e. there is a long component one part of which occurs in 'x' and another part of which occurs in 'y', but there is no long component shared by 'x' and 'z'). Stating the occurrence of long components is thus equivalent to stating limitations of phonemic distribution; but the long components can be dealt with much more conveniently than the statements about distribution.
- Harris (1951), a pag.126, n.6