Topic outline

  • General

  • Course Description

    • Objectives

      • Pre-requisits

        • Modular Planning

          • Course Contents

            • References

              • Defining Phonetics and its Types

                Description

                This introductory lecture establishes the foundation for understanding phonetics as a scientific discipline. Students will learn about the scope of phonetics, its historical development, and its significance in language studies.


                • Objectives

                  • Define the field of phonetics and its primary concerns
                  • Identify the main historical developments in phonetic studies
                  • Understand the importance of phonetics in various practical applications
                  • Recognize the relationship between phonetics and other linguistic disciplines

                • Lesson Plan

                  1. Opening (15 minutes)

                  • Introduction to the course and instructor
                  • Overview of syllabus, assessment methods, and learning resources
                  • Ice-breaking activity: students record their pronunciation of five common words

                  2. What is Phonetics? (30 minutes)

                  • Definition: Phonetics is the scientific study of speech sounds - their production, transmission, and perception
                  • The difference between sounds and letters (phonemes vs. graphemes)
                  • Basic phonetic concepts: phones, allophones, phonemes
                  • Examples of sound-letter correspondences in English

                  3. Historical Development of Phonetics (25 minutes)

                  • Ancient contributions from Indian, Greek, and Arabic scholars
                  • Development of phonetics in the 19th and 20th centuries
                  • Key figures: Henry Sweet, Daniel Jones, Peter Ladefoged
                  • Technological advances in phonetic research

                  4. Applications of Phonetics (20 minutes)

                  • Language teaching and learning
                  • Speech therapy and pathology
                  • Forensic phonetics
                  • Voice recognition technology
                  • Documentation of endangered languages

                  5. Conclusion and Preview (15 minutes)

                  • Summary of key concepts
                  • Introduction to traditional views of phonetics (next lecture)
                  • Q&A session

                  6. Activity: Sound Awareness (15 minutes)

                  • Students identify different sounds in various English words
                  • Distinguish between spelling and pronunciation

                • Bibliography

                  Required Reading

                  • Ladefoged, P., & Johnson, K. (2014). A Course in Phonetics (7th ed.). Cengage Learning. (Chapter 1)
                  • International Phonetic Association. (1999). Handbook of the International Phonetic Association. Cambridge University Press. (Introduction)

                  Supplementary Resources

                  • Crystal, D. (2008). A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics (6th ed.). Blackwell Publishing.
                  • Roach, P. (2009). English Phonetics and Phonology: A Practical Course (4th ed.). Cambridge University Press. (Chapter 1)
                  • Website: "Sounds of Speech" by the University of Iowa (https://soundsofspeech.uiowa.edu/)

              • Articulatory Phonetics

                Description

                This lecture delves into articulatory phonetics, focusing on how speech sounds are produced by the human vocal apparatus. Students will learn about the physiological mechanisms involved in speech production, the classification of sounds based on articulation, and methods for studying articulatory processes.


                • Objectives
                  • Understand the anatomy and physiology of the speech production system
                  • Learn how to classify sounds based on articulatory parameters
                  • Recognize the role of airstream mechanisms in speech production
                  • Develop skills in describing articulation processes
                  • Become familiar with research methods in articulatory phonetics

                • Lesson Plan

                  1. Opening (10 minutes)

                  • Review of the three branches of phonetics
                  • Focus on articulatory phonetics within the speech chain

                  2. Anatomy and Physiology of Speech (30 minutes)

                  • The respiratory system: lungs, diaphragm, trachea
                  • The larynx: structure, function, vocal folds
                  • The vocal tract: pharynx, oral cavity, nasal cavity
                  • Active and passive articulators

                  3. Airstream Mechanisms (25 minutes)

                  • Pulmonic egressive airstream
                  • Pulmonic ingressive airstream
                  • Glottalic egressive (ejectives)
                  • Glottalic ingressive (implosives)
                  • Velaric ingressive (clicks)

                  4. Voicing and Phonation Types (25 minutes)

                  • Modal voice
                  • Breathy voice
                  • Creaky voice
                  • Whisper
                  • Murmur

                  5. Articulatory Parameters (30 minutes)

                  • Place of articulation
                  • Manner of articulation
                  • Active and passive articulators
                  • Secondary articulations
                  • Coarticulation effects

                  6. Research Methods in Articulatory Phonetics (20 minutes)

                  • Direct observation techniques
                  • Instrumental methods: palatography, ultrasound, EMA, MRI
                  • Applications in speech research and therapy

                  7. Conclusion and Preview (10 minutes)

                  • Summary of articulatory concepts
                  • Introduction to next lecture: "Acoustic Phonetics"

              • Acoustic Phonetics

                • Auditory Phonetics

                  • Consonants

                    • Vowels

                      • Syllables

                        • Strong vs Weak Forms

                          • Stress

                            • Phonetics vs Phonology

                              • Aspects of Connected Speech

                                • Topic 18