LING 104 - Sounds of the World’s Languages

In this course you will be trained to produce and recognize (almost) all the speech sounds which human languages make use of, and to develop a systematic way of analyzing and recording them. We will learn how to transcribe data in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). Class time will focus on practicing perceiving and producing the speech sounds found in spoken languages (vowels, tones, trills, clicks, etc). Each student will have the opportunity to conduct research on the phonetics of a language of their choice, working closely with a native-speaking consultant. This course is recommended for students of languages, linguistics, theater, music and anyone who wants to become more aware of their (and other people’s) pronunciation. Every spring. In odd years, it is offered in the Fall and Spring. (4 Credits)