Admission requirements
Introductory (BA-level) courses in phonetics and phonology.
Description
In this course we focus on the notion of sonority. Sonority plays an important role in traditional onset-rhyme approaches to syllable structure. For example, in a language like English, complex onsets have rising sonority while complex codas have falling sonority. While sonority sequencing accounts for a sizeable portion of the phonotactic restrictions in syllables, the notion of sonority raises a number of questions, some of which have so far not received a satisfactory answer. To what extent is the sonority scale universal? How should violations of sonority sequencing be accounted for? How does sonority, which is a scalar property, relate to feature contrasts, which are typically categorical? What are the phonetic correlates of sonority? We will try to get a better insight into these issues by discussing a number of recent articles on sonority, syllable structure, and segmental phonology.
Course objectives
insight into a number of recent developments in theoretical phonology.
insight into the relation between phonetics and phonology
insight into the relation between segments and syllables
insight into the importance of data in phonological theorizing
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Weekly two-hour seminar.
Assessment method
Assessment
Presentations, classroom participation (20%)
Final essay (80%)
The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average. In order to pass the course, a minimum of a 5.5 is required for the essay.
Resit
If the mark for the essay is a 5.49 or lower, a resit essay must be submitted during the resit exam period, with a new topic. There is no resit for presentations and in-term assignments.
Inspection and feedback
Students are entitled to view their marked essay within a period of 30 days, following publication of the results.
Reading list
A number of recent journal articles and book chapters (to be announced)
Registration
Enrolment through My Studymap is mandatory
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar
For questions related to the content of the course, please contact the lecturer, you can find their contact information by clicking on their name in the sidebar.
For questions regarding enrollment please contact the Education Administration Office Reuvensplaats E-mail address Education Administration Office Reuvensplaats: osz-oa-reuvensplaats@hum.leidenuniv.nl
For questions regarding your studyprogress contact the Coordinator of Studies