This course enables Masters-level students with little or no former background in phonetics to learn about speech production through a range of approaches including auditory, articulatory and acoustic phonetics. Students will gain skills in critical evaluation of key theoretical concepts and practical skills in identifying, transcribing and presenting speech sounds.

8 x 2-hr integrated lecture-seminar sessions;8 x2-hr practical sessions (comprising 1x1-hr workshop; 1x1-hr follow-up guided independent study) as scheduled on MyCampus.

This course may be taught in conjunction with ENGLANG4048, as scheduled on MyCampus.

This is one of the MSc options in English Language and Linguistics, and the MSc in Speech, Language & Sociolinguistics, and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

ENGLANG5070: Modern English Language

ENGLANG4048

None

The standard assessments for this course are:

■ Powerpoint presentation (Describe a sound in 2 minutes) - 10%

■ Speech transcription task - 30%

■ Written assessment involving data handling/processing (Equivalent to 2,500 words) - 60%

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:

■ Individual oral presentation OR pre-recorded presentation as alternative to the Powerpoint presentation.

■ There is no alternative to the speech transcription task and written assessment, but an extension to the deadline can be offered as reasonable adjustment (students should follow the usual process for extensions).

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.

This course aims to:

■ Develop a detailed understanding of the operational capabilities of the vocal tract;

■ Carry out independent detailed study of auditory, articulatory and acoustic aspects of phonetics;

■ Develop specialist practical skills of identifying and transcribing speech sounds, and of using mainstream speech analysis software;

■ Develop key skills in communicating information about segmental phonetics to a range of listeners, expert and non-expert

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Identify a range of key respiratory, phonatory and articulatory possibilities of the vocal tract in speech;

■ Reproduce and apply a range of key terms and concepts in the phonetic analysis of speech;

■ Summarize, illustrate and critically evaluate current theoretical approaches to phonetics;

■ Identify and transcribe various forms of English speech sounds;

■ Apply specialist mainstream speech analysis software for the analysis of English speech sounds;

■ Communicate complex information about an English speech sound to a specialist/non-specialist audience in an accessible fashion using an oral presentation