ENG 346: Aspects of the English Language |
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ENG 346: Aspects of the English Language By the end of this lesson, you should be able to do each of the following:
Read Chapter
2 of Contemporary Linguistics before you come to class on Monday. Write a proposal for your linguistics guide and bring it to class on Friday. Think Fast:
Describe the place of articulation, manner of articulation, and voicing for
the consonant I assign you in class. Presentation:
Phonetics (Professor Canada) Cooperative Learning: Respond to questions 1, 2, 7, 10, 12,
and 15 at the end of Chapter 2 of Contemporary Linguistics. Discussion: During
this time, we will discuss the insights and questions that have emerged
during our “Think Fast” exercise, my presentation, and cooperative learning. Workshop:
Exchange linguistics guide proposals with a partner. Read your partner’s proposal and
write comments on it. In
particular, consider the extent of its proposed treatment and suggest other
information the author might include.
If you have come across any sources your partner might use, mention them. Think Again: Using
what you have learned or reviewed in this lesson, interpret a personal
encounter with phonetics. For
example, you might look at an experience related to English spelling, the way
a cold affects your speech, or suprasegmentals in poetry. Conferences: During
these one-on-one conferences, I will review some of your writing, orally quiz
you on lesson objectives, and field your questions. Announcements: We
will wrap up this lesson with announcements regarding upcoming lessons, as
well as other relevant subjects. Make sure you know the meaning and significance of each of the following terms:
The Cambridge
Encyclopedia of the English Language contains extensive information
on phonetics. An Introduction to
Language contains extensive information on phonetics. Updated January 7, 2003
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IntroductionIn our last lesson, we took a long view of linguistics. In this lesson, we begin our tour of specific subjects—in this case, phonetics, the study of speech sounds. As you read this lesson and Chapter 2 of Contemporary Linguistics, you will see an obvious difference between the material in this course and the material in most of the other English courses you have taken. Linguistics is a highly technical subject with a lot of terms. Although this material may seem a bit intimidating at first, you should approach it with the attitude that you can learn it—and that it is valuable, especially for people who wish to teach, write, or appreciate literature. In this lesson and all the ones that follow, I have tried to help you focus on the most important terms and concepts. Although you should read the entire chapter for each lesson, you will want to focus on learning the material that I have highlighted on this lesson. Finally, please note that you need to bring a hard copy of your proposal for the linguistics guide to class on Friday. DiscussionPhonetics
You may never have given much thought to how you produced the sounds that make up words. Those sounds, however, are extremely important. Indeed, they are the difference between being understood and being misunderstood. But sounds are more than that; as many poets and other writers have known, they also can carry “hidden” meanings and shape the way we feel when we hear the words. Knowing how we produce the sounds of English can help us to appreciate these meanings and effects. As your chapter shows, the study of speech sounds can be quite complex. For our purposes, you can focus on a few basic concepts. For example, make sure that you understand how English speakers make consonant and vowel sounds. Consonants are sounds produced by placing the tongue in a particular place, impeding the flow of air in some way, and either vibrating or not vibrating the vocal cords. Vowels are sounds produced by vibrating the vocal cords and letting the air flow over the tongue. We create different vowels by holding the tongue in different positions. If, for example, you hold the tip of your tongue high at the front of your mouth, breathe outward, and vibrate your vocal cords, you will produce the middle sound in the word feet. Use the diagram and grid on the inside front cover of your book to memorize the features of each English consonant and vowel. You also will want to pay especially close attention to suprasegmentals. Consider the impact that these features, particularly stress and tone, have on communication, particularly in the realms of poetry and rhetoric. Finally, make sure that you understand the processes that lead English speakers to change, add, and delete sounds in their speech. PracticeBelow are some activities designed to help you master the knowledge and skills covered in this unit. 1. Register: Pair up with someone and take turns saying the following sentence: "I'm going to say something to them." First, pronounce the sentence as if you were talking to a friend over lunch. Next, pronounce the sentence as if you were speaking to a potential employer in a job interview. Transcribe your partner's speech for each context and note any differences you find. 2. Sound in Poetry: Read one of the following poems--or a poem of your own choosing--and analyze how the poem's sounds help to create meaning or effect. Be as precise as possible. Make sure you use the phonological terms you learned in this unit. That is, instead of referring vaguely to "b" sounds, use a phonetic symbol or describe the sound according to place of articulation, manner of articulation, and vocalization. Use what you have learned about intonation to read it aloud. You may want to refer to David Crystal's discussion of intonation on pages 248 and 249 of The Encyclopedia of the English Language. Try reading some lines with different intonation and analyze the different effects. · "He fumbles at your spirit," by Emily Dickinson · "The Windhover," by Gerard Manley Hopkins ConclusionIn this lesson, we have examined phonetics. In our next lesson, we will take a look at the related field of phonology. |