Overview

This module expands on concepts introduced during ET118: Linguistics: Understanding Language in order to provide core knowledge and skills for students in phonetics and phonology as essential fields of language study. It aims to:

• Familiarise students with the phonetic and phonological systems of the world’s languages.
• Introduce methodologies from a range of linguistic disciplines to document, study, and analyse language data.
• Engage students in linguistic analysis within a language and cross-linguistically, both synchronically and diachronically.
• Introduce research about and approaches to subfields of linguistics

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

• Describe phonetic and phonological patterns of the languages of the world.
• Label phonetic and phonological features of languages with disciplinary terminology.
• Analyse raw linguistic data to determine features of a language or dialect.
• Categorize changes in languages and dialects resulting from language internal and external factors.
• Identify physiological structures and psychological factors relevant to language production, perception, and interpretation.
• Propose appropriate methodologies to document and study language.
• Discuss core theories, findings, and approaches from a range of linguistic disciplines.

Learning Experience

Laboratory

We will meet in a weekly 2-hour supervised practical class to conduct experiment and analyse datasets relevant to research questions and hypotheses in phonetics and phonology.

Seminar

We will meet weekly in small groups to review readings and learning activities.

Independent Learning

You will master core content through a series of structured independent learning activities. Activities will include viewing video lectures, working through datasets, reading, and formative checks on learning. Some weeks you may also participate in short experiments, meant to test or demonstrate some relevant concept.

Assessment

Essay

One 1500-word research project (50%)

Examination

2-hour written examination (50%)

Preparatory Reading

• Kennedy, R. (2017). Phonology: A coursebook. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Ladefoged, P. & Disner, S.F. (2012). Vowels and consonants (3rd edn). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.