The Phonology Of English

1. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the English sound system.
2. Identify and accurately transcribe English phonemes using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).
3. Apply phonological rules to explain sound changes in connected speech.
4. Analyze English syllable structure and stress patterns.
5. Use intonation effectively to convey meaning and attitude in spoken English.
6. Distinguish between phonetics and phonology and their roles in language study.

13 weeks, about 80 hours in total. Yours will differ.

1. Week 1Course Guide

   • Course Guide · 2 hours

     Read the course guide to understand the course objectives, structure, and assessment methods.. Familiarize yourself with the course materials, including study units and recommended textbooks..

2. Week 2Module 1: Phonetics and Phonology

   • Unit 1: What Phonetics Is · 6 hours

     Define phonetics and its branches.. Identify the main duties of a phonetician.. List and explain the three main branches of phonetics: articulatory, acoustic, and auditory.. Practice phonetic transcription using IPA symbols..

3. Week 3Module 1: Phonetics and Phonology

   • Unit 2: What Phonology Is · 6 hours

     Define phonology and its relationship to phonetics.. Identify and describe segmental phonemes.. Explain autosegmental features and their role in phonology.. Discuss English phonological rules and morphophonemic changes..

4. Week 4Module 2: English Vowels

   • Unit 1: English Monophthongs (Pure Vowels) I · 6 hours

     Identify and describe English monophthongs (pure vowels).. Explain the vowel trapezium and its importance in vowel classification.. Practice producing and transcribing the first four English pure vowel sounds: /i:/, /ɪ/, /ɛ/, /æ/.. Give examples of words containing these sounds..

5. Week 5Module 2: English Vowels

   • Unit 2: English Monophthongs (Pure Vowels) II · 6 hours

     Identify and describe the remaining English monophthongs.. Practice producing and transcribing the English pure vowel sounds: /ɑ:/, /ɒ/, /ɔ:/, /ʊ/, /u:/, /ʌ/, /ɜ:/, /ə/.. Give examples of words containing these sounds.. Use a mirror to observe mouth and tongue positions while producing the sounds..

6. Week 6Module 2: English Vowels

   • Unit 3: English Diphthongs and Triphthongs · 6 hours

     Identify and describe English diphthongs and triphthongs.. Explain the difference between closing and centering diphthongs.. Practice producing and transcribing the English diphthong and triphthong sounds.. Give examples of words containing these sounds..

7. Week 7Module 3: English Consonants

   • Unit 1: The Plosives · 6 hours

     Identify and describe the English plosive consonants: /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /ɡ/, /ʔ/.. Explain the articulation of each plosive sound.. Practice producing and transcribing the plosive sounds.. Give examples of words containing these sounds..

8. Week 8Module 3: English Consonants

   • Unit 2: The Affricates and Fricatives · 6 hours

     Identify and describe the English affricate and fricative consonants: /ʧ/, /ʤ/, /f/, /v/, /θ/, /ð/, /s/, /z/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /h/.. Explain the articulation of each affricate and fricative sound.. Practice producing and transcribing the affricate and fricative sounds.. Give examples of words containing these sounds..

9. Week 9Module 3: English Consonants

   • Unit 3: The Nasals, Lateral, Continuants and Semi-vowels · 6 hours

     Identify and describe the English nasal, lateral, continuant, and semi-vowel consonants: /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /l/, /r/, /j/, /w/.. Explain the articulation of each nasal, lateral, continuant, and semi-vowel sound.. Practice producing and transcribing the nasal, lateral, continuant, and semi-vowel sounds.. Give examples of words containing these sounds..

10. Week 10Module 4: English Phonemes and Allophones

    • Unit 1: Phonemic Description by Contrast · 6 hours

      Define minimal pairs and their role in phonemic analysis.. Explain how minimal pairs are used to identify and describe English phonemes.. Identify and describe allophones and their relationship to phonemes.. Give examples of minimal pairs and allophones in English..

11. Week 11Module 4: English Phonemes and Allophones

    • Unit 2: English Sound Change I · 6 hours

      Discuss the concept of free variation in English sound system.. Discuss complementary distribution in the English sound system.. Explain the importance of allophonic study in English phonology..

12. Week 12Module 4: English Phonemes and Allophones

    • Unit 3: English Sound Change II · 6 hours

      Define and discuss phonological processes that affect changes in the sounds of English.. Discuss various sound change processes in the English phonology: assimilation, deletion, elision, insertion, coalescence, and liaison.. Give examples of phonemes that are changed by phonological processes..

13. Week 13Module 5: Distinctive Features

    • Unit 1: Generative Phonology · 6 hours

      Explain what generative phonology is, its major proponents, modes of representations, and some of its rules.. Define and discuss sonorant and obstruent as distinctive features for the description of the English phonemes.. Explain the phonetic features that border on the organs of speech such as: the tongue, lips and nasal.. Identify and describe the English sounds produced by theses organs of speech using the terms in the generative phonology theory..

    • Module 5: Distinctive Features · 6 hours

      Study Major Class features/ Cavity features. Study Manner of Articulation features. Study Distinctive features Matrix.