Introduction to the course
Aims
To discuss fundamental theoretical and empirical questions arising from the scientific study of spoken linguistic communication. To provide participants with hands-on experience of analysing phonetic data. To introduce modern experimental techniques in the study of Phonetics and modern applications of Phonetic science.
Outcomes
After completing the module, participants should be in a better position to:
- understand the primary literature in phonetics and phonology
- employ basic experimental methods in the analysis of phonetic data
- write up reports on experimental and analytical work in phonetics and phonology
Syllabus
The syllabus covers essential topics in Phonetics, including: the domain of Phonetics, principles of Phonetic analysis, speech acoustics, quantitative assessment of phonation and pitch, acoustic characterisation of vowels and consonants, sound sequences and suprasegmentals, paralinguistic phenomena, speaker characterisation.
Lectures, Labs & Tutorials
Each week the course will offer the student a two-hour lecture, a one-hour practical class in the teaching laboratory, and a one-hour tutorial class.
Timetable
| Item | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Lectures | Thursday 11-1 | Room B01 |
| Laboratory A & B | Monday 9-10 | Room B07 |
| Tutorial 1 | Monday 10-11 | Room B07 |
| Tutorial 2 | Monday 11-12 | Room 201 |
| Laboratory C & D | Monday 11-12 | Room B07 |
| Tutorial 4 | Monday 12-1 | Room B07 |
| Tutorial 3 | Monday 1-2 | Room 201 |
Contact Details
| Responsibility | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Lecturer | Mark Huckvale | m.huckvale@ucl.ac.uk |
| Tutor | TBA |
Assessment
Assessment is through two 1500 word essays/lab-reports. These will be based around topics that have been covered in the lectures and will incorporate data collected from activities in the laboratory. You will have an opportunity to submit a practice lab report to get feedback on style in advance of the first assessment.
The provisional dates are as follows:
| Title | Date Set | Date Due |
|---|---|---|
| Practice | 26 October | 6 November |
| Assessment 1 | 16 November | 27 November |
| Assessment 2 | 7 December | 8 January |
Assessments must be submitted in electronic format through the Moodle site before midnight.
Moodle
The course has a moodle page at https://moodle.ucl.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=750.
The Moodle site will contain links to course notes, lecture slides and to additional resources.
Handbook
The course handbook is written as a set of web pages and can be found at: http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/courses/plin/plin2108/.
The web design used for the course handbook is designed to be readable on portable devices. Course notes can also be converted for the Kindle e-book reader
Course notes will not be printed. They contain many web links and interactive multimedia that are lost on printing. If you require a printed version you will need to print them yourself.
Self-Study
The course notes will index a range of web sites containing useful information about the topics. Use these to help develop your understanding of the concepts covered.
Each week a small number of readings will be set. Students should strive to read as much as possible around the topics covered on the course. Readings will be described as "Essential" or "Background". Where possible, essential readings will be made available on-line.
The course notes also contain a 'Reflections' heading which you can use to test your understanding of the material. If you are confused by any of these, bring your questions to the tutorial.
Use the Moodle Discussion forum for any specific questions you have outside the tutorial time. Also post messages if you find other interesting web sites relevant to the course.
Text Books
No single text book covers all the material included in the course at an appropriate level of description. The following are recommended and all are available in the Language Sciences Library on the second floor of Chandler House.
If you purchase any of these from Amazon using the supplied links, you will be supporting the web site www.speechandhearing.net.
Introductory Books
-
An Introduction to the Science of Phonetics
(Nigel Hewlett & Mary Beck, 2006).
- A general introduction to articulation, sound, hearing and perception that meshes well with the scientific approach to the material that we take in the course.
- A Course in Phonetics, International Edition (with CD-ROM)
(Peter Ladefoged & Keith Johnson, 2010).
- A classic text that extends Ladefoged's book 'Vowels and Consonants'.
Advanced Books
-
A Practical Introduction to Phonetics (Oxford Textbooks in Linguistics)
(John Catford, 2001)
- An introduction to phonetic description that involves the reader in making the sounds alongside the text.
-
Principles of Phonetics (Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics)
(John Laver, 1994)
- A very thorough account of the principles behind phonetic description. The early chapters are a very readable overview of the issues.
-
Bloomsbury Companion to Phonetics (Bloomsbury Companions)
(Mark Jones & Rachel Knight, 2013)
- A readable collection of short essays about applications of phonetic science.
Word count: . Last modified: 11:44 25-Sep-2017.