SPTH1506 Linguistics and Phonetics 1

It is a core topic for speech pathology and cognitive science students and may be taken by other arts and science students after consultation with the topic coordinator. Linguistics and Phonetics 1 introduces students to the scope, concepts and methods of linguistic science. It assumes no prior knowledge of linguistics, but is a prerequisite for topics later in the linguistics sequence. It is part of the foundation for theoretical and clinical studies in speech and language development, in speech and language disorders, in voice disorders, and in audiology. Linguistics is set in the context of its relationship to other disciplines such as psychology, sociology, anatomy, physiology, cognitive science, audiology and speech pathology.

This topic aims to:

• Achieve a basic understanding of how speech sounds are made and how they function in human communication
• Achieve a basic understanding of how words are formed in English and how we may analyse their meaning
• Acquire a basic knowledge and appropriate use of linguistic terminology in phonetics, phonology, morphology, and lexical semantics
• Acquire basic skills in broad and narrow transcription of individual English words, using IPA symbols
• Acquire the basic skills to analyse the main lexical and grammatical word groups of English
• Achieve a basic understanding of how linguistics and phonetics relate to other disciplines, such as psychology, education, sociology, anatomy, physiology, audiology, and speech pathology
• Gain an appreciation of how the science of linguistics relates to other important aspects of being human

1. Demonstrate basic phonetic transcription skills to transcribe English words as they are spoken to you using the appropriate International Phonetic Association symbols with the assistance of an IPA chart and key-word list
2. Demonstrate basic morphological and semantic analysis skills to analyse the main lexical and grammatical word groups of English
3. Demonstrate an introductory level of linguistic knowledge about speech sounds and words by appropriate understanding and use of linguistic terminology and by the application of that knowledge by practical problem solving. The areas where this knowledge is expected are: phonetics, phonology, morphology, and lexical semantics