1. Art and Diseño

THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
P.O. Box 23409
Dar Es Salaam
http://www.out.ac.tz
Tel: 255-22-2668820/2668992-Ext.2115
Fax: 255-22-2668759
Direct Line: 022 - 2667255
E-Mail: [email protected]
Course Title: INTRODUCTION TO PHONETICS AND PHONOLOGY
Course Code
OLL 235
Date of Official Approval: Academic Year:
2012
2014/15
Course Description:
The course deals with introduction to general phonetics and phonology. It specifically
deals with introduction to the concepts of phonology and phonetics, approaches to the
study of phonetics, role and importance of each approach, how speech sounds are
produced and transmitted, production, recognition and transcription of speech sounds and
RP phonemes and RP phonemes in sequence, the effect of phonetic environment on the segmental phonemes,
syllables, stress, English rhythm: vowel reduction, strong forms, weak forms and speech simplification
strategies in English.
Keywords: Phonetics, Phonology, Syllables, International Phonetic Alphabets, stress,
Productivity Tools: Hard copies, Internet
Course Leader: N/A
Course Tutors: Zelda Elisifa
External Examiner: “as appointed by University Authorities from time to time”
COURSE VALUE:
TYPE
LEVEL
2
CREDITS/UNITS
2
LEARNING HOURS
35
ASSESSMENT MARKING SCHEME: To be provided by the instructor.
Delivery mode: Open and distance learning.
DELIVERY PATTERN: ODL Lectures In Face to Face Session Contact Hours, And Laboratory Practical
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Students are required to attend to the laboratory practical for the distinction of speech sounds. Sometimes they
will need to have mirrors for observing the different shapes of the lips while articulating vowel phonemes.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
Students are required to have internet access and in a more convenient way i.e. wireless internet access.
COURSE AIMS:
This course aims at equipping students with both theories, and conceptual frameworks of phonetics in general
and Received Pronunciation Phonology. It will equip them with Skills and Knowledge on the process of
speech sounds production, as well as how theories related to distinctive features applied in distinguishing
consonant speech sounds in contrast to vowel sounds. Moreover, students will be equipped with knowledge
related to RP syllable parts, structures and their phonetic and phonemic transcriptions.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Knowledge and understanding;
 To develop critical awareness of Phonetics in General and English Language Phonology

Discuss and describe basic concepts related to phonetics and phonology.

Transcribe and pronounce syllables, words and long stretches of English Language
Generic cognitive & intellectual skills:
 Develop capacity for critical analysis and arguments related to Phonetics and Phonology

Critically, develop the ability to describe the relations between Manner of articulation and Places of
articulation and how to determine the International
Phonetic Chart as per theories of International
Phonetic Alphabets (IPA).
Practical knowledge/professional skills:
 Be competent to discuss and describe basic differences between phonetics and phonology

Be competent to explain the theories and processes governing production of human speech
sounds

Be competent in explaining the distinctive features of human speech sounds and how they
determine differentiation of Consonants and vowels.

Be competent in describing and explaining basic RP phonemes and their distinctive features

Be competent to describe the parts and structures of RP syllables
Key transferable skills.





Differentiate between phonetics and phonology
Explain how speech sounds are produced
Recognize, transcribe and describe speech sounds and RP phonemes
Analyze and describe the structures of RP Syllables
Describe different prosodic features and transcribe, recognize and
produce different patterns of connected English speech
Course Contents.
TOPIC 1: General Phonetics
1.1 Definition of phonology and phonetics
1.2 Approaches to phonetics
1.2.1 Articulatory phonetics
1.2.2 Auditory phonetics
1.2.3 Acoustic phonetics
1.2.4 The organs of speech and the air streams mechanism
1.2.4.1 Active and passive articulators
1.2.4.2 Pulmonic airstream mechanism
1.2.4.3 Glotalic airstream mechanism
1.2.4.4 Velaric airstream mechanism
1.2.4.5 Oral, nasal and nasalized sounds
TOPIC 2. The Phonemic Theory and the Phone
2.1. The status of a phoneme
2.1.2 Nature and functions of a phoneme
2.2 Phonemes versus allophones
2.3 Complementary distribution
2.4 Free variation
2.5 The phone
2.6 Phonetic transcription versus phonemic transcription
2.7 Broad versus narrow transcription
2.8 The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)
2.9 The consonants classification
2.10 The vowels classification
TOPIC 3 English Segmental Phonology
3.1. The RP accent
3.2 The RP phonemes
3.2.1. Transcription of RP phonemes
3.2.1.1 Transcription of RP consonant phonemes
3.2.2.2 Transcription of RP vowel phonemes
3.2.2.3 Description of RP phonemes
3.2.2.3.1 Description of RP consonants and the consonant chart
3.2.2.3.2 The RP vowel trapezium
3.3 The RP phonemes and English orthography
TOPIC 4 Suprasegmentals and the English Connected Speech
4.1 The syllable
4.1.1 The syllable, its structure and approaches
4.1.1.1 Different views of the syllable
4.2 The RP syllable
4.3 Phonotactic constraints
TOPIC 5 INTONATION
5.1. Stress
5.2. Stress in English
5.3. Rhythm
5.3.1 Rhythm in English
5.3.2 Pitch, tone and intonation
5.4. Intonation and focus in English
5.5 Tone and tone languages
5.6 Speech simplification strategies in English.
Learning strategy:
This will entail students visiting various libraries in search for Phonetics and Phonology books; they will have
group discussions,, face to face sessions and practical applications.
Assessment strategy:
Compulsory Student Progress Portfolio (SPP), timed test and final examination.
Assessment criteria:
One Timed Test
Annual examination
Total
Pass Mark shall be
Grading shall be as follows;
A
B+
B
C
D
E
30%
70%
100%
40%
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Satisfactory
Marginal Fail
Absolute Fail
70%-100%
60%- 69%
50%- 59%
40%- 49%
35%- 39%
0%- 34%
Indicative Resources:
Fromkin, V.A ed. (1978). Tone A Linguistic Survey. New York Academic Press.
Gimson, A.C (1994). Pronunciation of English. London: Arnold (5th edn, revised
by A.Crutttenden)
___________(1971) A Practical Course English Pronunciation. Boston.
Ladefoged, P. (1993). A Course in Phonetics. 3rd edn.New York:Harcourt
BraceJovanovich.
Maghway, J.B (1988). Aspects of Prosody in English and Kiswahili:
Edinburgh University.
___________(1980). Spoken English in Tanzania. Spelling and Pronunciation
of Vowels.
O’Connor, J.D (1980). Better English Pronunciation. Cambridge University Press.
Peter, Rouch (1991). English Phonetics and Phonology: A Practical Course.
Cambridge University Press.