Accents of Britain: English dialect phonetics, phonology and morphology

Aims

Aims

• To introduce students to variability in the phonetics, phonology and morphology of varieties of UK English
• To introduce students to some changes currently in progress in UK Englishes
• To allow students to apply principles of phonetics/phonology and morphology to linguistic phenomena in varieties in which they have native or near-native competence
• To give students the experience of working in small groups of mixed background, offering one another mutual support

By the end of this module, students will typically:

• Have an understanding of a small number of linguistic-theoretical problems, with an emphasis on their relevance to some aspect of English phonetics, phonology or morphology
• Have experience of applying some aspect or aspects of linguistic theory to the analysis of English language data, and as a result, gain a better understanding of the relationship between data and analysis

Prerequisites

Prerequisites

Students must have successfully completed the following:

• L09C Introduction to phonetics and phonology
  
• L10C Introduction to sociolinguistic variation and change
  

Co-requisites

Alongside this module, student must also be signed up to ONE (or both) of the following:

• L09I Intermediate phonetics and phonology
  OR
  
• L10I Intermediate language variation and change

Programme

Programme

Contact hours

Approximately two contact hours a week, spread over the spring/summer teaching period.

Teaching programme

This module introduces students to a number of topics in English dialect phonetics, phonology and morphology. The module content will vary from year to year, but will typically cover topics which focus on the following areas:

• Vowel inventories across dialects of UK English
• Consonant inventories across dialects of UK English
• Patterns of change in contemporary UK Englishes
• Variation in supra-segmental properties of UK English dialects
• An issue in morphological variation in UK English dialects

Assessment and feedback

Assessment and feedback

Formative work and feedback

• Exercises assigned during the term, which will contribute to the portfolio submitted as summative work (see below).
• Feedback provided on exercises on a regular basis.

Summative assessment and feedback

• Exercises
  A portfolio of exercises to be submitted at noon on Tuesday, Week 1, Summer Term. The exercises will be assigned throughout the Spring Term.
  • Weight: 80%
  • Feedback: Written comments available to view by end of Week 5, Summer Term.
• Essay
  A 1500-word essay due in Week 5 of the Summer Term
  
  • Weight: 20%
  • Feedback: Written comments on summative work available to view by appointment by the end of Summer term.