- UCAS course code
- QT32
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Course unit details:
The Sounds of Language
| Unit code | LELA10322 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 20 |
| Unit level | Level 1 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 2 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | Yes |
Overview
The focus of this course is speech sounds. We will learn how sounds are made, how they can be described, analysed and transcribed, and how the sounds of English differ from those of other languages. We will also consider how sounds can be organized into higher-level structures, and we will study the relationship between sound and meaning.
Aims
The principal aims of the course unit are as follows:
- To introduce students to fundamental notions in phonetics and phonology
- To provide experience in performing phonetic and phonological analysis · to provide extensive training in auditory transcription
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course students will be able to:
- Understand fundamental concepts in phonetics and phonology, and apply them critically to analyse new data
Syllabus
Topics covered will include:
- Vocal tract anatomy
- Articulatory properties of consonants and vowels
- The International Phonetic Alphabet
- Speech acoustics
- Foundations of phonological analysis
Teaching and learning methods
One 2h lecture a week and one 1h weekly tutorial.
E-learning: The Blackboard environment will provide: lecture slides, tutorial materials, reading assignments (beyond the main textbook), materials for exam preparation (e.g. mock exam), and additional exercises.
Knowledge and understanding
By the end of this course students will be able to:
- Understand the basic mechanisms of speech production
- Provide an articulatory description of speech sounds
- Characterise the sounds of standard English (RP), and relate them to the inventories of other English dialects/other languages
- Identify some phonological patterns (contrastive and complementary distribution, feature specification)
- Characterise the differences between phonetics and phonology concerning the object and the method of study
Intellectual skills
By the end of this course students will be able to:
- Analyse new linguistic data (provide phonemic analysis, spot phonological patterns)
- Apply selected phonetic and phonological methods to the study of other linguistic subfields, such as field linguistics or sociolinguistics
Practical skills
By the end of this course students will be able to:
- Read phonetic transcription
- Transcribe speech sounds
Transferable skills and personal qualities
By the end of this course students will be able to:
- Develop time-management skills as well as skills independent study skills.
Employability skills
- Other
- Students looking for employment in research will particularly benefit from learning about research methods in phonetics, and about how phonetic research can be integrated into studies across various linguistics subfields, such as phonological theory, or linguistic variation. The course will also be beneficial to students interested in non-academic career paths that require background in phonetics, including speech and language therapy and forensic phonetics. The course will provide essential skills required in such professions, such as phonetic transcription and phonetic analysis.
Assessment methods
Assessment Task | Formative or Summative | Weighting |
In-class Transcription Test | Summative | 40% |
Final Exam | Summative | 60% |
Blackboard Quizzes | Formative | 0% |
Feedback methods
Feedback method | Formative or summative |
Exam marks | Summative |
Scores on Blackboard quizzes | Formative |
Recommended reading
Zsiga, E.C., 2012. The sounds of language: an introduction to phonetics and phonology. John Wiley & Sons
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Assessment written exam | 1.5 |
| Lectures | 22 |
| Seminars | 11 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 165.5 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Ricardo Bermudez-Otero | Unit coordinator |