Introduction to French Phonetics and Phonology

1. Identify and classify French phonemes.
2. Describe French phonemes using appropriate technical terms.
3. Apply phonological rules in French speech.
4. Distinguish between phonetics and phonology.
5. Analyze the relationship between phonology and morphology.

13 weeks, about 30 hours in total. Yours will differ.

1. Week 1Module 1: Introduction

   • Unit 1: Qu'est-ce que la Phonologie? · 2 hours

     Define phonology and its importance in understanding the French sound system.. Distinguish between phonetics and phonology.. Identify major schools of thought in phonology..

2. Week 2Module 1: Introduction

   • Unit 2: Phonétique et Phonologie · 2 hours

     Differentiate between phonetics and phonology.. Understand how sounds and phonemes are represented in transcription.. Analyze minimal pairs to identify distinctive oppositions..

3. Week 3Module 1: Introduction

   • Unit 3: Phonologie et Morphologie · 2 hours

     Define morphology and its relationship to phonology.. Identify morphemes within French words.. Analyze words morphonologically, distinguishing between lexical and grammatical morphemes..

4. Week 4Module 1: Introduction

   • Unit 4: Description phonologique des Phonèmes Vocaliques du Français · 2 hours

     Identify and classify French oral vowel phonemes based on place of articulation.. Describe each oral vowel phoneme using specific phonological features.. Practice phonetic transcription of words containing oral vowels..

5. Week 5Module 1: Introduction

   • Unit 5: Description Phonologique des Phonèmes Consonantiques du Français · 2 hours

     Identify and classify French consonant phonemes.. Describe each consonant phoneme using specific phonological features.. Differentiate between occlusive and constrictive consonants..

6. Week 6Module 2: Phonological Concepts

   • Unit 1: La Distribution Segmentale · 2 hours

     Define segmental distribution and its importance in phonology.. Identify minimal pairs and their role in determining distinct phonemes.. Analyze the distribution of sounds in different phonetic environments..

7. Week 7Module 2: Phonological Concepts

   • Unit 2: Allophones et Distribution Complémentaire · 2 hours

     Define allophones and their relationship to phonemes.. Distinguish between free and conditioned variants.. Identify allophones in complementary distribution..

8. Week 8Module 2: Phonological Concepts

   • Unit 3: Les Traits Phonologiques · 2 hours

     Define phonological features and their role in describing phonemes.. Construct segmental matrices for French consonants and vowels.. Differentiate between distinctive and non-distinctive features..

9. Week 9Module 2: Phonological Concepts

   • Unit 4: Les Traits Distinctifs · 2 hours

     Identify the various distinctive features in French, such as voicing, nasality, and anteriority.. Compare and classify different phonemes according to their distinctive features.. Analyze how distinctive features differentiate phonemes from each other..

10. Week 10Module 2: Phonological Concepts

    • Unit 5: Les Règles Phonologiques · 2 hours

      Identify and apply derivational rules, including epenthesis, elision, and assimilation.. Identify and apply transformational rules, including liaison and nasalization.. Analyze how phonological rules alter sounds in different contexts..

11. Week 11Module 3: Speech Dynamics

    • Unit 1: Les Réactions Phonologiques dans la Chaine Parlée · 2 hours

      Explain the phonological reactions of sounds in speech, including elision, enchaînement, and liaison.. Apply these phenomena when speaking French.. Analyze how sounds interact and function in the French language system..

12. Week 12Module 3: Speech Dynamics

    • Unit 2: Les Principes de Liaison en Français · 2 hours

      Understand the rules and principles guiding the application of liaison.. Identify compulsory, impossible, and optional liaisons.. Apply liaison correctly in French pronunciation..

    • Unit 3: Elision et Enchainement en Français · 2 hours

      Apply the rules and principles of elision and enchaînement for effective pronunciation.. Differentiate between liaison, élision, and enchaînement.. Recognize when to use elision and enchaînement in speech..

13. Week 13Module 3: Speech Dynamics

    • Unit 4: L'accent en Français · 2 hours

      Define accent and its role in French pronunciation.. Determine where an accent should be placed in a word when speaking French.. Distinguish between French accent and English accent..

    • Unit 5: L'intonation en Français · 2 hours

      Define intonation and its role in language.. Distinguish between intonation and stress in pronunciation.. Identify the intonation pattern that goes with each type of sentence in French..