In this course, we’ll explore two fundamental questions about human language: 1. What do different languages sound like? 2. What does a speaker of a language know about what his or her own language sounds like? These questions are the central questions of phonetics and phonology, the two sub-disciplines of linguistics which most relate to pronunciation. Phonetics is primarily concerned with the physical properties of speech, and so with determining • What parts of the mouth are involved in the production of different sounds? • How must these parts be moved in order to produce a given speech sound? • What are the acoustic properties of speech sounds? We’ll be examining these questions in the first part of the course. You’ll gain an abstract knowledge of how different sounds are produced, but also practical skill in producing them yourself. Phonology is primarily concerned with the mental processes by which speakers manipulate and organize speech sounds, and so addresses questions like • Why are different languages based on different sets of sounds? • What sound combinations are permitted in any given language? o And why are some sound combinations more common than others? • How and why does the pronunciation of a word change because of its context? o Are why are some sound changes more common than others? We’ll be examining these questions in the second part of the course. Here, you’ll gain a solid foundation in extracting the key mental generalizations that underlie the phonetic data of a language. Course Goals • Practical faculty in producing the sounds of the world’s languages, and an intellectual understanding of how they are produced • Understanding of the acoustic properties of speech sounds, and ability to analyze speech sounds using (freely available) software • Understanding of the unconscious knowledge that speakers possess of how their native languages are pronounced • Ability to extract phonological generalizations from phonetic data ">

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LING 215 - Sounds of Language

Description
In this course, we’ll explore two fundamental questions about human language: 1. What do different languages sound like? 2. What does a speaker of a language know about what his or her own language sounds like? These questions are the central questions of phonetics and phonology, the two sub-disciplines of linguistics which most relate to pronunciation. Phonetics is primarily concerned with the physical properties of speech, and so with determining • What parts of the mouth are involved in the production of different sounds? • How must these parts be moved in order to produce a given speech sound? • What are the acoustic properties of speech sounds? We’ll be examining these questions in the first part of the course. You’ll gain an abstract knowledge of how different sounds are produced, but also practical skill in producing them yourself. Phonology is primarily concerned with the mental processes by which speakers manipulate and organize speech sounds, and so addresses questions like • Why are different languages based on different sets of sounds? • What sound combinations are permitted in any given language? o And why are some sound combinations more common than others? • How and why does the pronunciation of a word change because of its context? o Are why are some sound changes more common than others? We’ll be examining these questions in the second part of the course. Here, you’ll gain a solid foundation in extracting the key mental generalizations that underlie the phonetic data of a language. Course Goals • Practical faculty in producing the sounds of the world’s languages, and an intellectual understanding of how they are produced • Understanding of the acoustic properties of speech sounds, and ability to analyze speech sounds using (freely available) software • Understanding of the unconscious knowledge that speakers possess of how their native languages are pronounced • Ability to extract phonological generalizations from phonetic data 
Recent Semesters
Fall 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2020
Class Size
20-30
Credits
3
Professor Reviews
1y
Sophomore
PORT
The other reviews here worried me, but I loved Prof Zsiga's class. I found the daily quizzes to be good motivation to read the textbook, and the questions were manageable in my opinion. The two exams are a good measure of knowledge, but not overly tough. Prof Zsiga really shines in office hours, so don't shy away from them!
2y
Senior
LING
Michael is the worst professor I have ever had. He is nice and passionate about linguistics, but cannot teach for his life. He is completely incapable of explaining tough concepts and answering people's questions and just causes more confusion. Everyone relied on our TA to teach because Michael was just that bad. Avoid him at all costs.
Read all 13 reviews
Usually Held
TuTh (3:30pm-4:45pm), TuTh (2:00pm-3:15pm), TuTh (12:30pm-1:45pm)