LG415-7-SP-CO:
Phonetics
2025/26
Language and Linguistics
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 12 January 2026
Friday 20 March 2026
15
13 March 2025
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MA Q16012 English Language and Linguistics,
MA Q10012 Linguistics
This module covers the fundamentals of phonetics, with particular focus on acoustic phonetics and phonetic data analysis. In this module, students will gain core knowledge of articulatory phonetics and its acoustic consequences, and will develop practical skills in analysing acoustic data in the software Praat. Topics in speech perception and audition will also be introduced, though they are not a main focus.
After taking this module, students should be prepared to apply techniques in phonetic data analysis to a wide variety of applications, including linguistic research, teaching, and clinical assessment, though the latter will not be covered in detail, students will nevertheless be prepared to transfer the skills from the module into areas such as clinical speech pathology and education.
The aims of this module are:
- To introduce students to the sounds and sound systems used in languages of the world.
- To provide students with an understanding of basic acoustics.
- To give students hands-on experience recording and analysing acoustic data.
- To introduce students to the basics of speech perception and audition.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Have a clear understanding of the physiology of speech production and the structure of linguistic speech systems.
- Be familiar with acoustics and acoustic phonetics and demonstrate knowledge of details of sound wave structure and sound dimensions such as frequency, amplitude and duration.
- Read information off of acoustic displays such as spectra and spectrograms in order to identify different sounds.
- Conduct acoustic speech analysis in Praat and produce documents to display findings.
- Be well quipped for independent phonetic analysis and advanced study.
Syllabus Information
- Vocal tract physiology
- Fundamentals of acoustics
- Speech sound description via the IPA
- Acoustic analysis in Praat
- Acoustics of voice
- Acoustic properties of consonants
- Acoustic properties of vowels
- Acoustics of suprasegmentals (tone, intonation, stress)
- Speech perception
This module will be delivered via:
- One 2-hour lecturer/seminar per week
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
Additional coursework information
N/A
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Scott Lewis, email: scott.lewis@essex.ac.uk.
Scott Lewis
sl23481@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
Dr Ian Cunnings
University of Reading
Associate Professor in Psycholinguistics
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.
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