Collation is the kind of comparison and shuffling which then has to be done before the phonological system is revealed. In practice, one never does all the gathering first and all the collation afterwards. Early tentative efforts at collation, based on partial gathering, suggest things to be looked for in further gathering. The logical distinction between the two is essential, however, in that collation must remain tentative until gathering has been completed.
- Hockett (1958), a pag.103