Intermediate phonetics and phonology

Aims

Aims

In this module, you will develop your skills in the phonetic and phonological analysis of language.

The phonetics part of the course will cover:

• The basics of articulatory and impressionistic phonetics
• The basics of the acoustic analysis of speech

The phonology part of the course will cover:

• The position of phonology within the human linguistic system
• Some recurrent phenomena in the phonology of the world's languages
• Some commonly used phonological notation

Prerequisites

Prerequisites

Students must have successfully completed:

• L09C Introduction to phonetics and phonology (LAN00009C)

Information for visiting students: The teaching of this module assumes that students already have basic knowledge of phonetics/phonology, including the ability to read IPA symbols, to describe place and manner of articulation, to produce simple phonetic descriptions and broad phonetic transcriptions of short stretches of speech, and to provide appropriate structural descriptions of syllables using appropriate phonological notation. Please contact the module convenor if you are in any doubt about whether you have an appropriate background for this module.

Programme

Programme

Contact hours

Two hours per week, including 1-hour lecture and 1-hour practical/seminar over 12 weeks.

Teaching programme

The module is taught through lectures/practicals, in three 4-week blocks:

• A: Introduction to acoustic phonetics
• B: Data driven skills in phonological analysis
• C: Case studies in current phonetics/phonology

Teaching materials

• Hayward, Katrina. (2000). Experimental phonetics. Longman.
• Nathan, G. (2008). Phonology: a cognitive grammar introduction. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
• Davenport, M. & Hannahs, S. J. (2011) Introducing phonetics and phonology. London: Hodder.

Assessment and feedback

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on formative work

Formative mini tasks

• A series of review tasks and short reports to be completed throughout spring term.
• Feedback will be a combination of automatic feedback provided by the VLE and oral feedback given in following lecture. Model answers will also be made available via the VLE.

Formative data exercises*

• 3 x phonetics data exercises* due in week 7, spring term
• 3 x phonology data exercises* due in week 1, summer term
• You will receive individual written feedback as well as whole class feedback within 3 weeks.

*There are 6 data exercises to be completed in total. You may submit four of these exercises as part of your summative portfolio.

Assessment and feedback

• Portfolio of data exercises due Summer Term, Week 5
  • Students select their top 4 exercises from the Spring term to submit as summative
  • Weight: 80%
• Research essay due Summer Term, Week 5
  • Length: 1500 words
  • Weight: 20%
  • Class feedback to be posted on VLE and students will have the opportunity to view scripts after marking.