Course Name: English Pronunciation EN107
Semester: Autumn 2016
Credits: 2
Instructor: 歐雷威
Location and time: 3304, Tuesdays 13:30 – 15:20
Office hrs: Wed 13:30 – 16:30, R130 (or by appointment, vijunas@nknu.edu.tw)
Description: In this course, the main stress will be laid on the development of accurate English pronunciation, natural intonation, understanding and correct command of processes of speech (assimilation, weakening, linking, etc.), as well as basic training in phonetic transcription.
Evaluation: Tests, home assignments and classwork (80%), midterm examination (0%), final presentations (20%). Late assignment submissions result in grade reduction by 10 points, and failure to submit an assignment or make a presentation will result in the grade “0” (“zero”) for each missed task. Grades are not negotiable in any way, and no substitute tasks can be requested under any circumstances for any missed presentations, tests, quizzes, etc.
Attendance: class attendance is the students’ responsibility. NO credit or points will be given for good attendance whatsoever, since attendance does not necessarily equal learning. However, failure to submit homework in a timely fashion due to the student’s absence without a legitimate reason will affect the final grade negatively, and the instructor can in no way be held responsible for work that is submitted late, is not submitted at all, or is written badly.
Course materials: supplied by the instructor.
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Day/ Week
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Contents
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Notes
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09.13
I
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Introductory remarks. What is pronunciation training, and why does it matter? What pronunciation to teach? Phonics and phonetics. Phonetic transcription. Transcription systems: IPA, KK, DJ, etc. Intonation.
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#21 the English sounds illustrated; #37 (on intonation)
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20
II
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Major differences between British and American English. Vowels and consonants. Diphthongs and affricates. Sounds difficult for speakers of Chinese. Falling intonation (#24); vowel length before consonants and /s/ ~ /z/ distinction (#26)
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#33 vowels, #26 vowel length, #24 intonation
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27
III
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The vowels [iù] vs. [I], minimal pairs: #10. Simple phrases (drills) involving target sounds. Vowel reduction to schwa (#13, 20). The vowels [Q] (33), [eI], [e]: minimal pairs. Drills. Rhotic vowels, vowels next to /r/ (17, 16). Game: competition in creating many words with target sounds, all disyllabic (but not ending in -ing or -er).
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Tracks with target sounds: #10 (#13 is OK, too, /?/ ? [?], #20 for other vowels); #16 (Mary), 17, 33
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10.04
IV
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The consonants [T] and [D]. Drills. Simple phrases. Tongue-twisters. Falling intonation (22; syllable patterns). Declaratives. Idea of "steps" reviewed (4, 24). Intonation of English sentences. Wh-questions (What is this? What is that? What would you like? Which one would you like? Where is it?).
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#4, 22, 24
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11
V
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The American vowels [??] (#17 part only!), [??] (use word list #21): notes on transcription. Distribution. Word pairs. Compounds (27, 31, HW32). Word stress, sentence stress (35).
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#17, 21, 27, 35
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18
VI
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The vowel [uù]: notes for positions before nasals. Limericks: intro.
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/u?/ vs. /?/ (#7);
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25
VII
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Limericks continued. Release of word-final stops: normally unreleased in American English. Review word stress (compounds vs. descriptive phrases). Test: word-stress (compounds vs. descriptive phrases)
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#6 (unreleased t), 31; TEST DAY
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11.01
VIII
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The consonants [S], [Z]. Finding words ending in [S]. Finding words containing [Z]. Phrasal verbs vs. nouns (3). Accent shifts (23) + words of the pronounce ~ pronunciation, nation ~ national type.
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#3, 23. HW: finishing limericks
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08
IX
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Midterm week
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15
X
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YES/NO-questions: intonation. Phonology: Aspiration, release (28), glottalization (29), tapping (1, 5). The nt- (8, 9) and nd-clusters. Can ~ can't (18, 19). Test: finishing limericks, marking stressed syllables.
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Tracks with target sounds. AB: #1 (tap; words), 5 (phrases), 8 (nt), 9 (nt sentences), 18 (very short) + 19, 28, 29 TEST DAY
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22
XI
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Intonation of listing: rises with a fall in the end. Drills. Simple phrases.
The postvocalic r in American English: transcription and pronunciation. Finding hidden words, practicing pronunciation. Finding words ending in -r (not comparatives or agent nouns!): one team works on words stressed on the first syllable, second team finds words stressed on the last syllable, third team finds monosyllabic words ending in -r. The nature/history of these words.
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Tongue-twisters with /r/ and /l/. The song "Row, row, row your boat" (with alternate lyrics, see cericlark.com). May be sung as a round.
#15 (short), 16, 17
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29
XII
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Category game: country, nation, language, city, animal, plant, colour. More on syllable: problems in syllable division. Review compound stress (35).
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Practice "Row the boat" as a round.
#13 [?], 35
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12.06
XIII
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Consonants /s/ vs. /z/: voicedness (26); types of syllables (review: 22)
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#26, 22
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13
XIV
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Tag questions: falling or rising intonantion. Difference in meaning. Students ask each other tag questions. "The drunken sailor", simple and as a round.
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Do you? Will you? Are you? Can you? Will there? Will it? Negatives.
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20
XV
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Offering, accepting and refusing. Agreeing and disagreeing.
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27
XVI
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Review: comparison of AmE and BrE sounds and phonology, intonation review, steps philosophy.
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01.03
XVII
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Final examination (oral).
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10
XVIII
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Final examination (written).
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