Phonetics and Phonology (B)-English

obligatory courses

The course is compulsory for 1st year students. It requires a good command of English (entry level language skills at min. B1 level) and the knowledge of basic terms from the field of English descriptive grammar.

Classroom

The course is intended for 1st year students with English as the first language of specialization (B). The course focuses on the descriptive aspects of English phonetics, providing the theoretical background to the Pronunciation course (Communicative Competence Development) and enabling the students to control their pronunciation in a conscious way. The course covers the description of the phonetic system of English, as well as selected aspects of phonemic and prosodic analyses. Selected characteristics of the phonological systems of other languages (in particular – Polish) are also discussed. As a result, participants should be able to improve their pronunciation and avoid typical errors resulting from interference, as well as analyse and correct their own students’ errors, if they choose a teaching career in the future.

The course is intended for 1st year students with English as the first language of specialization language (B). The course focuses on the descriptive aspects of English phonetics, providing the theoretical background to the Pronunciation course (Communicative Competence Teaching) and enabling the students to control their pronunciation in a conscious way. The course covers the description of the phonetic system of English, both at the segmental level (the classification of monophthongs, diphthongs and consonants), and the suprasegmental one (word and sentence stress, rhythm, intonation, phonostylistics). The course also discusses basic aspects of phonological analysis (fundamental notions and the general description of contemporary phonological theories). Differences between the main accents of English (in particular – standard British and standard American), as well as major aspects of English-Polish contrastive phonetics are also discussed. As a result, participants should be able to improve their pronunciation and avoid typical errors resulting from interference, as well as analyse and correct their own students’ errors, if they choose a teaching career in the future. Moreover, the course emphasises the (phono)stylistic variety of English, the changes it is subject to, as well as the ways of improving one’s phonetic competence with the use of up-to-date sources. For this purpose, participants are encouraged to use recommended Internet sources.

Course workload:

Classroom activities – 30 hrs = 1 ECTS

Self-study – 30 hrs = 1 ECTS, including:

- preparation for classes (assigned reading, homework tasks) – 20 hrs

- preparation for tests – 10 hrs

Total: 60 hrs (2 ECTS)

If classroom learning is impossible, the workshop will be conducted with the help of distance communication tools, most probably Google Meet and others recommended by the University.

Specified individually by particular teachers.

KNOWLEDGE:

The student is expected to:

- know and understand the phonological system in terms of structure relations between its elements, have basic knowledge concerning the place of phonetics and phonology in the system of sciences, comprehend the connection of phonetics and phonology to other branches of linguistics, and understand the specifics of their subject matter (K1_W01)

- understand basic linguistic terminology in the field of phonetics and phonology (K1_W02)

- know and understand the characteristics of the English phonetic system, be acquainted with the classification criteria of phonemes, and have structured knowledge of the main suprasegmental features (K1_W05)

- have thorough knowledge of the main characteristics of the English phonetic and phonological system, as well as contrastive Polish-English phonetics, and know the differences between standard British and American phonological systems (K1_W08)

SKILLS:

The student is expected to:

- recognise and describe pronunciation errors typical of Polish learners of English (K1_U05)

- recognise two main accents of English (British vs. American) (K_U09)

SOCIO-CULTURAL COMPETENCIES:

The student is expected to:

- be aware of the differences in the phonological systems of various languages, in particular – Polish and English (K1_K01)

- appreciate the importance of correct pronunciation in communication and professional life; understand the necessity of improving his/her pronunciation and is prepared for this (K1_K02)

Assessment methods:

- Mid-term test

- Final test

Assessment criteria:

Written tests are evaluated on the basis of: students’ knowledge of phonological terminology and rules, the ability to read and use the phonetic transcription of English, basic knowledge of main English accents, as well as major differences between the phonological systems of Polish vs. English.

The overall result is established in accordance with the following scale:

60-69% = 3

70-74% = 3+

75-84% = 4

85-89% = 4+

90-100% = 5

Absences:

Students are allowed two unexcused absences. In the case of a higher number of absences the student catches up on the subject matter missed in class in the form agreed on with the lecturer.

Failing results in receiving a failing grade in USOS in the first term and the need to retake the final test in the same form during the retake exam session.