- UCAS course code
- PQ22
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Course unit details:
Experimental Phonetics
Unit code | LELA20341 |
---|---|
Credit rating | 20 |
Unit level | Level 2 |
Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 |
Available as a free choice unit? | Yes |
Overview
This course unit is a hands-on exploration of the production and perception of speech sounds, with a focus on experimental methodology. We’ll cover the basic principles governing the relationship between articulation and acoustics, looking at the source of sound waves in the larynx and how that sound source is shaped by the vocal tract. Students will learn how to measure a variety of acoustic properties of speech, and how those measurements can be used as a tool to investigate questions in phonology, sociolinguistics, and second language acquisition. We’ll also explore how speech sound are perceived, and what factors influence the relationship between the acoustic signal and what the listener hears.
Pre/co-requisites
Unit title | Unit code | Requirement type | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Phonology | LELA20012 | Pre-Requisite | Recommended |
Quantitative Methods in Language Sciences | LELA20231 | Pre-Requisite | Recommended |
The Sounds of Language | LELA10322 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
Aims
The aim of this course unit is to:
- Provide a strong foundation in the techniques involved in phonetic analysis.
Students will acquire an understanding of:
- The main concepts employed in the acoustic analysis of speech sounds.
- The design of phonetic experiments.
- The use of phonetic analysis as a tool to answer broader research questions.
Syllabus
Representative examples of topics covered:
- The Larynx
- Stops and Fricatives
- The Source-Filter Model
- Vowel Quality
- Liquids and Nasals
- What is Sonority?
- Categorical Perception
- Coarticulation
- The Phonology-Phonetics Interface
- Phonetics in Neurolinguistics
- Forensic Phonetics
Teaching and learning methods
- Integrated lecture and seminar content, focusing on a discovery-based approach to the material.
- Readings, software tutorials, and additional exercises on Blackboard.
- Individual meetings with project groups to provide additional support.
Knowledge and understanding
- Understand the relationship between articulation, acoustic signal, and perception of speech sounds.
- Understand the relationship between phonetic measurements and hypotheses in phonology, sociolinguistics, and second language acquisition.
Intellectual skills
- Recognise and evaluate well-formed research questions.
- Read and interpret scientific articles.
- Answer theoretical questions using scientific evidence and sound reasoning.
Practical skills
- Measure the acoustic properties of speech relevant for answering research questions in linguistics.
- Design and carry out scientific experiments.
- Analyse and interpret experimental data.
Transferable skills and personal qualities
- Perform basic quantitative analysis and visualisation of data.
- Write a scientific report.
Employability skills
- Other
- By the end of the semester, students will have gained experience designing and carrying out a scientific experiment and interpreting and writing up the results. Understanding how to ask questions, and how to go about finding the answers to those questions, is a fundamental skill for almost any professional-level job. In addition, students will have gained experience carrying out a multi-step project as a team, including navigating group dynamics and dividing workload equitably.
Assessment methods
Assessment Task | Formative or Summative | Weighting |
Reading Reports | Formative and Summative | 20% |
Practical Exercises (Portfolio) | Formative and Summative | 30% |
Group Project | Summative | 50% |
Feedback methods
Feedback Method | Formative or Summative |
Optional written feedback on practical exercises (prior to portfolio submission) | Formative |
Written feedback on portfolio | Formative and Summative |
Written feedback on project proposal | Formative |
Written feedback on project report | Summative |
Study hours
Scheduled activity hours | |
---|---|
Lectures | 33 |
Independent study hours | |
---|---|
Independent study | 167 |
Teaching staff
Staff member | Role |
---|---|
Wendell Kimper | Unit coordinator |