SSST - The Phonetics and Phonology of English 1

The Phonetics and Phonology of English 1

Faculty of Modern Languages

Department of English

Programme(s) where module is offered

BA English and Applied Studies

Status (core, option, free choice)

Core

FHEQ Level

Unit Value

6 ECTS

Semester taught

Spring

Pre-Requisite Modules or Qualifications

None

Module Code

ELANG 104

Module coordinator

Emeritus Professor Midhat Riđanović, PhD

Applicable From

2012

Educational Aims of the Module

The main aim of the course is to familiarize the students with the articulation of the sounds of standard English, both in its British and American variant (BBC/RP English, General American).
Students will be introduced to phonological concepts, such as phonemes, the means of describing sounds (phonemes) and the International Phonetic Alphabet.
The main practical aim of the course is to help the students acquire as good a pronunciation of English as possible.
For this purpose, students will be exposed to specimens of spoken English as pronounced by native speakers.
Also, because of the natural tendency to substitute the sounds of one's native language for similar sounds of a foreign language, English sounds will be systematically compared with their closest Serbian/Bosnian/Croatian counterparts, and students will be taught how to avoid these “traps” of their native languages.
All phonetic descriptions will be fitted into the appropriate phonological framework, with special attention being devoted to phonemes and allophonic variants.
Attention will also be devoted to stress, rhythm, intonation and the special phonetic phenomena of connected speech.

Module Outline/Syllabus

Review of all English sounds and their spelling patterns.
Comparison of English and Bosnian sounds for the purpose of using the similarities and differences between the two sound systems in teaching English pronunciation to Bosnian students.
The syllable as a phonetic unit. Border between adjacent syllables. The maximum onset principle.
Suprasegmental features of English. Word and sentence stress. Primary and secondary stress, Rhythm and stress.
Intonation. Four types of nuclear tone in English: fall, rise, fall-rise, and rise-fall. Function of intonation.
Connected speech. Progressive and regressive assimilation, with emphasis on assimilation at word and morpheme boundaries.
Weak forms. Co-articulation.

Student Engagement Hours

Type	Number per Term	Duration	Total Time
Lectures	15	2 hours	30 hours
Tutorials	15	2 hours	30 hours
Total Guided/Independent Learning Hours			90
Total Contact Hours			60
Total Engagement Hours			150

Assessment Method Summary

Type	Number Required	Duration / Length	Weighting	Timing / Submission Deadline
Exam	1	3 hrs	50%	End of semester
Midterm Test	1	2 hrs	20%	Mid-semester
Subject tests and assignments	3	Tests app. 1.5 hrs each	30%	One before the midterm (Week 8), and two after the midterm

Module Outcomes

Teaching and Learning Strategy:

Presentations by the module convenor. (ILO: 1-5)
Practical exercises and assignments as a follow-up to course presentations, or as part of seminars. (ILO: 1-5)
Reading practice - drilling the sounds of English in words, phrases and sentences (ILO: 1-5)
Individual assignments (ILO: 1-5)
Consultations with students. (ILO: 1-5)
Presentations by the module convenor. (PS: 1-2)
Practical exercises and assignments as a follow-up to course presentations, or as part of seminars. (PS: 1-2)
Reading practice - drilling the sounds of English in words, phrases and sentences (PS: 1-2)
Individual assignments (PS: 1-2)
Consultations with students. (PS: 1-2)
Presentations by the module convenor. (TS: 1-4)
Practical exercises and assignments as a follow-up to course presentations, or as part of seminars. (TS: 1-4)
Reading practice - drilling the sounds of English in words, phrases and sentences (TS: 1-3)
Individual assignments (PS: 1-4)
Consultations with students. (PS: 1-4)

Assessment Strategy

Midterm - 20% (ILO: 1-4)
Other coursework (Assignments and quizzes) - 30% (ILO: 1-5)
Final Exam – 50%(ILO: 1-5)
Midterm - 20% (TS: 1-2)
Other coursework (Assignments and quizzes) - 30% (TS: 1-2)
Final Exam – 50% (TS: 1-2)
Midterm - 25% (TS: 1-4)
Other coursework (Assignments and quizzes) - 25% (TS: 1-4)
Final Exam – 50% (TS: 1-4)

Key Texts and/or other learning materials

Set text

Cruttenden, Alan (2014). Gimson’s Pronounciation of English (8th ed). London: Hodder Education

Supplementary Materials

Roach, Peter J. (2009). English Phonetics and Phonology: A Practical Course (4th edition). Cambridge: CUP. This comes with 2 Audio CDs, to be used in the tutorial sessions.

Please note

This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the module and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes, content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each module and programme can be found in the departmental or programme handbook. The accuracy of the information contained in this document is reviewed annually by the University of Buckingham and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency.

Date of Production : 2014

Date approved by School Learning and Teaching Committee:

Date approved by School Board of Study :

Date approved by University Learning and Teaching Committee:

Date of Annual Review:

SSST Subjects