Phonetics and Phonology

Objectives of the course

The form and function of phonology. The major theoretical issues that surround attempts to answer this question.

Prerequisites

Being an introductory course, no prior knowledge of phonology is assumed. At least one course in general linguistics is recommended but not obligatory. It is one of the three core courses and gives students the required foundations on which further knowledge can be built.

Assessment methods

Attendance is obligatory, a term paper, active participation in in-class discussions.

Course contents

• What is Phonology? Why do human languages have phonology?
• Element Theory: The building blocks of phonological expressions.
• Constituent Structure: What are phonological trees?
• Phonological Government and Licensing
• Empty Categories
• The Phonology-Morphology Interface
• Lexical versus Phonological phenomena

Material discussed in lectures also forms the main part of the tutorials, where additonal instruction is devoted to the main issues. Emphasis is given to empirical study and actual analysis of language data.

Recommended reading

• KAYE, J.D.Phonology: A Cognitive View, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Hillsdale, N.J., 172 pages (1989).
• KAYE , J.D., LOWENSTAMM, J. and J. R. VERGNAUD, "The internal of structure of phonological elements: a theory of charm and government," Phonology Yearbook 2:305 328, (1985).
• KAYE, J.D., LOWENSTAMM, J. and J.-R. VERGNAUD, "Constituent structure and government in phonology", Phonology 7.2:193-231, (1990).
• KAYE, J.D. "Coda licensing", Phonology 7.2:301-330, (1990).
• KAYE, J. D. “Derivations and internfaces”, in Durand, Jacques and Francis Katamba (eds.), Frontiers of Phonology, Longman Linguistics Library, London, pp. 289-332, (1995).
• KAYE, J.D . “Do you believe in magic? The story of s+C sequences”, in Kardela, Henryk and Bogdan Szymanek (eds.), A festschrift for Edmund Gussmann, Lublin, Catholic University of Lublin, pp. 155-176, (1996).