Phonetics & Phonology
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Phonetics and Phonology Estudi: Màster en Lingüística Teòrica i Aplicada
1. General Presentation This course offers a general overview of the main concepts used to describe and explain how languages are structured from a phonetic and phonological point of view. Throughout the course, we will discuss phonetic and phonological phenomena using empirical data from a variety of languages. We will get acquainted with current phonological theory, the phonetic foundations of phonology, experimental and laboratory phonology, as well as the interface between phonology and other parts of the grammar. An important component of the course will be to be able to assess recent contributions to the field. In the lab, we will learn how to use several tools used in speech and gestural analysis, such as the Praat software for acoustic analysis, as well as ELAN for gestural analysis.
2. Main competences ● Getting acquainted with current phonological theory and the interfaces between phonology and other parts of the grammar. ● Learning how to critically assess current phonological research. ● Learning how to prepare empirical phonological research. ● Learning how to present phonological research and results.
3. Syllabus The course includes the following theoretical and practical sessions. 1. Introduction: Phonetics and Phonology. Phonetics-phonology interface. Acoustic and articulatory phonetics. Articulatory properties of sounds. Coarticulation, temporal coordination of articulatory gestures, and other contact phenomena. Instrumental techniques for articulatory analysis. Properties of sounds. Phonetic transcription. Acoustic properties of vowels and consonants. Suprasegmental properties of speech. Practical session: Acoustical analysis in Praat. 2. Phonology and Laboratory phonology. Introduction to phonological theory. Probabilistic models of phonology. Sound perception. Perceptual basis of sound categorization. Laboratory phonology and experimental phonology. Productivity of phonological processes. Main phonological processes. Phonologization and productivity. Frequency of use, phonological knowledge, and phonological change. Experimental methods used within laboratory phonology. Practical session 2: Introduction to Elan. 3. Optimality theory. Classical generative phonology. The SPE classical model. Autosegmental theory. Principles and parameters. Optimality theory. Structure of an OT grammar faithfulness and markedness constraints. Ranking of constraints and language variation. Practical session 3: Elan and CHILDES. 4. Prosodic phonology. Prosodic hierarchy. Introduction to the phonology of intonation. Phonological theories of intonation. Autosegmental/metrical model and ToBI. Intonation and stress. Basic units: tonal accents and boundary tones. Temporal coordination between prosody and speech. The role of tonal scaling and alignment in establishing tonal categories. 5. Phonological interfaces. Phonology and syntax: patterns of prosodic grouping. Prosody and meaning: the semantics of tone and intonation. Prosody and discourse. The role of prosody, morphosyntax, and the lexicon in the expression of epistemicity and evidentiality. 6. Audiovisual prosody. The role of visual input in sound perception. The McGurk effect. The role of gestures in the interpretation of meaning and in human communication. Interaction between gestures and intonation during semantic interpretation. Phonological alignment between speech and gesture. Visual prosody in sign languages. 7. Phonological development: perception. Development of phonetics and phonology in children from a perception point of view. Segmentation and categorization stages. Early perception of phonotatic and prosodic patterns in different languages. The role of frequency in the input. Early understanding of intentionality. 8. Phonological development: production. Development of phonetics and phonology in children from a production point of view. Experimental analysis of the production of prosodic properties (accent, rhythm, phonotactic properties). Production of early vocalizations and gestural (pointing) and prosodic patterns. Predictive value of early communication patterns in the emergence of language (lexical and syntactic acquisition).
4. Evaluation The final grade of the course will be based on the following three parts. First, in-class participation and the presentation and discussion of an article related to the topics presented in the theoretical sessions (30%). Second, the handing in of two practical exercises (30%). Third, a supervised research exercise about any of the topics presented in the theoretical sessions which will be presented during the last session of the course and handed in written format (40%).
5. Methodology Each class will focus on a given unit. The first part of the class will be devoted to a general presentation of the empirical and theoretical aspects of the topic under study. The second part will either consist of (a) a hands-on practical session on the use of Praat and Elan; or (b) student presentations of a specific article related to the unit of the week followed by a group discussion (specific articles will be recommended).
6. Basic references Bates, E., Benigni, L., Bretherton, I., Camaioni, L. & Volterra, V. (1979). The emergence of symbols: Cognition and communication in infancy. New York: Academic Press. Bavin, E.L. (Ed.) (2009). The Cambridge Handbook of Child Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,. Clark, John & Yallop, Colin (2006): An Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology, Second edition. Oxford & Cambridge, MA: Blackwell, 3rd edition. Cohn, A., Fougeron, C., & M. Huffman (2012). The Oxford Handbook of Laboratory Phonology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Gussenhoven, C. (2004). The Phonology of Tone and Intonation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, ch. 1-4. Hayes, B., Kirchner, R., Steriade, D. (2004). Phonetically Based Phonology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Jun, S.-A. (2005). Prosodic Typology. The Phonology of Intonation and Phrasing. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Kager, R. (1999). Optimality Theory: A Textbook. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Kenstowicz, M. (1994). Phonology in Generative Grammar. Blackwell, Cambridge, MA & Oxford. Ladd, D. R. (1996). Intonational phonology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Ladefoged, Peter (2003). Phonetic data analysis: an introduction to fieldwork and instrumental techniques, Malden, MA, Blackwell Pub. McNeill, D. (2000). Language and Gesture. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Oostendorp, M. v., Ewen, C., & B. Hume (2011). The Blackwell Companion to Phonology. Wiley-Blackwell: Sussex. Vihman, M. (1996). Phonological development: the origins of language in the child. Oxford: Blackwell. |