Intro page 1b/SyllabusF09

1b. Provisional syllabus
Introduction to Phonetics with Pronunciation Practicum, p. 1
Professor: Karen Steffen Chung
Fall 2009: Monday 1, 2 (8:10-10:00am) in AVC 201 and Wednesday 5, 6 (1:20-3:10pm) in 新生大樓 402

Here is the provisional syllabus for this semester. Note that it is subject to change –
in fact there will probably be quite a few changes so we can spend more time on things when needed.
This is only to give you an overview of the course and to help you plan your time a bit.
Several "catch up" classes have purposely been scheduled at the end of the semester
in case some items take longer than originally scheduled.
Please report any errors or dead links you notice!
Word version of this syllabus

Course overview:

     This course is designed to train future English teachers and others in the phonetics and correct pronunciation of standard American English. It will offer a solid grounding in phonetic theory, but the main emphasis will be on sharpening students' sensitivity to the sounds of language, and on actual practice, mainly through oral reading of the textbook, class discussions, and practice dictations.

    Each student will keep a pronunciation journal to record problem areas of pronunciation, and will be expected to take class notes on material not covered in the textbook, to be handed in as an assignment. A significant portion of the work for this class will be done online independently.

         A test will normally be given after the completion of each chapter to review and solidify the material covered. Various written assignments will be given, including exercises from the text and ones requiring the use of various kinds of software. A dictation will be given most Wednesdays, first hour. This is to sharpen your sensitivity to the sounds of English, and also to identify problem areas you need to work on. Because of its diagnostic function, grades on the dictations will often not be very high, especially at the beginning. For this reason, they will not count heavily toward your final grade. Your grades should however gradually improve over the course of the semester.

      Practice dictations are available here:
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/phonetics/dictations.htm

Grade calculation:

Grades for the course will be based on class participation, written work and other assignments, chapter tests, a final exam, attendance, progress made, and attitude.

Course objectives:

To learn about general phonetic principles; to learn how the sounds of English are produced and perceived, and to thereby improve one's English pronunciation and sensitivity to the sounds of language, and become better able to teach accurately pronounced English to others; to deepen understanding and appreciation of language and linguistic phenomena.

Textbook:

     Ladefoged, Peter. 2006. A Course in Phonetics, 5th ed., with CD. Boston: Thomson Wadsworth. 310pp. Paper. Available at Crane's 文鶴 for about NT$500; request a class discount. Please note that we are using the 5th edition this year. We will cover the first five chapters of this text first semester.

     Other supplementary texts may also be drawn on. Extensive Web work will be assigned, so each student must have convenient and reliable access to a computer with an Internet connection, a printer, and also a headset with earphones and a microphone for listening and recording on the computer.

      If the course is offered second semester, we will complete the final six chapters of Ladefoged's Course, and will also read: Ladefoged, Peter. 2005. Vowels and Consonants: An Introduction to the Sounds of Languages. 2nd ed. Malden and Oxford: Blackwell. Students may consider buying this together with the Course from Crane's if you are fairly sure you would like to do more advanced work in phonetics.

This syllabus is subject to change!

Week 1: 9/14,9/16

9/14:
(1) Make sure you have a textbook, by 9/16 at the latest!

(2) Introduction and overview of the course:
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/phon1intro1.htm
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page2.htm

(3) Introduction to the areas of linguistics and phonetics; see:
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%204.htm

(4) Record "before" versions of passages in English, Mandarin, and other dialects/languages with Audacity software:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

and e-mail to: feathermountain@gmail.com; due 9/21/09
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page3c.htm

9/16:
(1) Dictation.

(2) Ladefoged, A Course in Phonetics (hereafter, "Course"), p. 1-5

(3) Webpages:
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%205.htm
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%206.htm
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%207.htm

Week 2: 9/21,9/23

9/21:
(1) Course, p. 5-10

(2) Webpage:
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro_page_7b.htm

9/23:
(1) Dictation.

(2) Course, p. 10-16, top

(3) Webpage:
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page8.htm

(4) Webpage: Writing Chinese in IPA
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2010.htm

(5) Chinese Romanization and IPA practice

Week 3: 9/28,9/30

9/28:
(1) Course: p. 16-21

(2) Chinese Romanization and IPA practice
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/Pudding.htm

9/30:
(1) Dictation.

(2) Course, p. 21-24

(3) Assignment: Exercises, p. 24-32, each person will be assigned answers to write on board; due Monday 10/05.

Week 4: 10/05,10/07

10/05:
(1) Go over exercises p. 24-32 in class/on board, mark number wrong.

(2) Chapter test on ch. 1 Monday 10/12

(3) Course, ch. 2, p. 33-36

10/07:
(1) Dictation.

(2) Questions on ch. 1.

(3) Course, p. 36-40.

Week 5: 10/12,10/14

10/12:
(1) Chapter test on ch. 1 first hour.

(2) Course, p. 40-42.

(3) Webpages: Romanization I and II
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2011.htm
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2012.htm

10/14:
(1) Dictation.

(2) Go over chapter test on ch. 1 if ready; correct and resubmit 10/21.

(3) Course, p. 42-45.

(4) Webpages: a. Romanization III
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2013.htm

b. Read two essays in Chinese on Romanization by Prof. Wen-chao Li:
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/Wenchao%20Romanization%20I.htm
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/Wenchao%20Romanization%20II.htm

Week 6: 10/19,10/21

10/19:
(1) Hand in ch. 1 test corrections.

(2) Finish ch. 2: Course, p. 45-47.

(3) Exercises, p. 48-52, write answers on the board, due/put on board Monday 10/26.

(4) Prepare Performance exercises, p. 52-53 for Wednesday 10/21.

(5) Webpages: Phonemes and Allophones
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2014.htm
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2015.htm

10/21:
(1) Dictation.

(2) Performance exercises, p 52-53.

(3) Course, ch. 3, p. 55-58.

(4) Tutorial on Voicing - Do the first one:
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2017.htm

Direct link:
http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wtutor?tutorial=siphtra/vb1.htm

(4) Praat waveform assignment; hand in 10/28.
http://www.fon.hum.uva.nl/praat/

Week 7: 10/26,10/28

10/26:
(1) Go over exercises, p. 48-52. Mark number wrong.

(2) Chapter test on ch. 2, Monday 11/02.

(3) Course, p. 58-62.

(4) Tutorial on Plosives, Part I:
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2017.htm

Direct link:
http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wtutor?tutorial=siphtra/plostut1/plostut1.htm

10/28:
(1) Dictation.

(2) Course, p. 62-66.

(4) Tutorial on Plosives, Part II, : VOT and aspiration:
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2017.htm

Direct link:
http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/johnm/siphtra/plostut2/plostut2.htm

Week 8: 11/02,11/04

11/02:
(1) Chapter test on ch. 2.

(2) Course, p. 66-71.

(3) Copy by hand "Rules for English Consonant Allophones", p. 71-76, due 11/09; start early to avoid too much work piling up at once!

11/04:
(1) Dictation.

(2) "Rules for English Consonant Allophones", p. 71-76.

(3) Copy by hand "Rules for English Consonant Allophones", p. 71-76, due 11/09.

(4) Ch. 3 Written exercises 76-81, due 11/09.

(5) Performance exercises, 81-82 for 11/09 class.

(6) Virtual theremin:
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2018.htm

Week 9: 11/09,11/11

11/09:
(1) Hand in hand-copied "Rules for English Consonant Allophones", p. 71-76; questions.

(2) Go over Ch. 3 written exercises 76-81; mark number wrong.

(3) Go over performance exercises, 81-82.

(4) Chapter test on ch. 3 on Monday, 11/16.

(5) Course, ch. 4, 83-85, top.

11/11:
(1) Dictation.

(2) Questions on ch. 3.

(3) Course, p. 85-89.

Week 10: 11/16,11/18

11/16:
(1) Chapter test on ch. 3.

(2) Course, p. 89-91.

(3) Webpage: Phonotactics I
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2019.htm

11/18:
(1) Dictation.

(2) Go over ch. 3 chapter test; correct and resubmit 11/23.

(3) Course, p. 91-94.

(4) Webpage: Phonotactics II Syllable structure
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2020.htm

Week 11: 11/23,11/25

11/23:
(1) Hand in corrected ch. 3 chapter test.

(2) Course, p. 94-98.

(3) Hand copy "Rules for English Vowel Allophones," p. 98-100, due 11/25.

(4) Phonotactics III
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2021.htm

11/25:
(1) Dictation.

(2) Hand in "Rules for English Vowel Allophones," p. 98-100.

(3) Exercises, p. 100-103, due 11/30. Be exhaustive in your listings of examples.

(4) Prepare Performance exercises, p. 104-105 for 11/30.

(5) Course, Chapter 4, p. 107-110.

Week 12: 11/30,12/02

11/30:
(1) Go over exercises, p. 100-103. Mark number wrong.

(2) Go over performance exercises in class, p. 104-105.

(3) Chapter test on ch. 4 on Monday Dec. 7.

(4) Course, p. 110-114.

12/02:
(1) Dictation.

(2) Questions on ch. 4.

(3) Course, p. 115-119.

(4) Chapter test on ch. 4 on Monday Dec. 7.

Week 13: 12/07,12/09

12/07:
(1) Chapter test on ch. 4.

(2) Course, p. 119-120.

(3) Webpage: a. Phonotactics V: Exceptions and odd syllable types
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2023.htm

For fun:

b. Playtime: Phonotactics VI: Phonotactic Games
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2024.htm

c. Playtime: Phonotactics VII: Phonetic timing and a parody of "That's Amore"
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2024b.htm

12/09:
(1) Dictation.

(2) Go over test on ch. 4, correct and resubmit on Monday 12/14.

(3) Course, p. 121-124.

(4) Webpages: The tot/taught merger II: It's not just California I & II:
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2025.htm
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/intro%20page%2026.htm

Week 14: 12/14,12/16

12/14:
(1) Resubmit corrected test on ch. 4.

(2) Course, 124-128. ToBI. Finish ch. 5.

(3) Exercises, p. 128-131, due Monday 12/21.

(4) Prepare performance exercises, p. 131-132.

12/16:
(1) Dictation.

Week 15: 12/21,12/23

12/21:
(1) Go over exercises, p. 128-131. Mark number wrong.

(2) Performance exercises, p. 131-132.

12/23:
(1) Dictation, review, catch up.

(2) Christmas carol singing.

Week 16: 12/28,12/30

12/28:
Catch up.

12/30:
Dictation and catch up.

Week 17: 1/04,1/06

1/04:
Catch up.

1/06:
(1) Dictation and catch up.

1/13:
Final exam, 1:20-3:10pm in 新生大樓 402.

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