Phonetics and Phonology

This course explores speech sounds as physical entities (phonetics) and as linguistic units (phonology). In viewing sounds as physical elements, the focus is on articulatory description: How are speech sounds made? What types of movements and configurations of the vocal tract are used to produce sounds in the world’s languages?  In this part of the course, the goal is to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to produce and analyze both segmental sounds and suprasegmental features of language in general and English in particular. In the next part of the course, the focus is on dealing with different theories of phonology and their importance, phonological processes in English and formulation of different phonological rules. Moreover, great focus is given to English phonetics and phonology, exclusively concentrating on English phonology. The last section focuses on the techniques and activities of teaching English pronunciation in association with the problems which arise in the Nepalese teaching English situations.