English Phonology

A teacher of English is less proficient if his or her command of the content material of the English sound system is inadequate. This course provides an opportunity for the student to be exposed to more and varied content specific to English without focusing on general phonetics and phonological issues, these having been dealt with earlier under course ENL 1202.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The major elements of the sound system of English are dealt with in this course. These consist of the segmental aspects (vowels and consonants) as well as the non-segmental aspects (stress and intonation). In addition, possible segmental combinations and constraints imposed thereon in constituting English words as well as what happens when words are linked together provide characterizing features of English which all teachers of English sound system need in order to teach the language properly.

COURSE AIMS

To ensure that the would-be teacher of English has enough content material about the English sound system.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Characterize phonologically all English segments, i.e. how each English segment is used within the system.
  
• Be able to make generalizations based on the  syllable about English sound structure.
  
• Demonstrate knowledge of the way non-segmental features (stress and intonation) operate at word-level and in simple phrases.
  
• Demonstrate knowledge of basic phonological processes (generalizations) which apply at word and beyond the word levels in English.