Advanced Phonetics & Phonology - LAN00129M

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Module summary

In this module you will build on knowledge and skills in phonetic and phonological analysis, gained in prior study, to deepen your understanding of a range of advanced topics and analytical frameworks in both areas.

Related modules

There are no prerequisites for this module. However, a solid prior knowledge of phonetics and phonology is a requirement. Students who lack training in these areas are likely to struggle with the module content from the very outset.

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

This module aims to:

• improve your existing skills in auditory phonetic analysis, including segmental, suprasegmental and voice quality analysis.

• help you gain a greater understanding of the acoustics of speech, how speech acoustics relates to production and perception in articulatory terms.

• develop your awareness of the core phenomena which phonological theory must account for.

• develop your awareness of different theoretical approaches to the analysis of core phonological phenomena, and your ability to evaluate competing analyses.

• equip you with the ability to reason about speech based on a range of phonetic and phonological evidence and using theoretical as well as practical tools.

Module learning outcomes

Students on this module will gain an advanced understanding of auditory, articulatory and acoustic phonetic issues, including:

• Consonants and vowels as represented on the International Phonetic Alphabet chart

• Voice quality analysis using the Vocal Profile Analysis Scheme

• Sound as an acoustic and auditory phenomenon

• The source-filter theory of speech production

• Articulation and resonance

• Common ways of representing speech acoustically: waveforms, spectrograms, spectra, F0 traces

• How the acoustics of speech relates to articulation

Students will be able to:

• establish data-based phonological generalisations of both segmental and prosodic phenomena.

• evaluate competing explanatory accounts of phonological generalisations.

• show an advanced understanding of the challenges in modelling the interplay of phonetics and phonology.

Module content

Week	Topic
1	Introduction to Advanced Topics in Phonetics and Phonology
2	Auditory Phonetics I: Vowels and Consonants
3	Auditory Phonetics II: Phonation, voice quality and airstream mechanisms
4	Acoustic Phonetics I: Basic acoustics
5	Acoustic Phonetics II: Spectra, harmonics and formants
6	Acoustic Phonetics III: Acoustic theories of speech production
7	Generative Phonology I: Features and rules
8	Generative Phonology II: Optimality Theory (constrained based phonology)
9	Autosegmental phonology: tone and intonation
10	Phonetics-phonology interface I: Introduction & window model
11	Phonetics-phonology interface II: Articulatory phonology

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Open Exam (5 days)	100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Open Exam (5 days)	100

Module feedback

Written feedback will be provided on each assessment within 25 days.

Indicative reading

Johnson, K. (2012). Acoustic and Auditory Phonetics, 3rd edn. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell.

Ladefoged, P. (1996). Elements of Acoustic Phonetics, 2nd edn. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Pickett, J.M. (1999). The Acoustics of Speech Communication: Fundamentals, Speech Perception Theory, and Technology. London: Pearson Education.

Zsiga, E. C. (2013). The sounds of language: an introduction to phonetics and phonology. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

Zsiga, E. C. (2020). The Phonology/Phonetics Interface. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.