Phonetics focuses on the physical aspects of sounds. Phonology considers the role sounds play in the grammars of languages. What features of sound can serve to distinguish words? What rules govern the variations in sounds in words and the way sounds can combine? What principles are common across languages? We will begin by discussing the internal structure of sounds and developing a precise formalism (the distinctive feature system) for representing this internal structure, drawing on familiar phonetic parameters of place, manner, and so on. The course then provides a thorough grounding in the the kinds of phonological phenomena commonly found in languages, with an emphasis on developing theories to explain them. Topics include distinctive feature theory, phonemic analysis, autosegmental phonology, and principles of syllabification and stress.
Prerequisites: Satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements; Introduction to Linguistics (Ling 50)
General Education Code: W (Writing-intensive
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Last modified December 23, 2008.