Phonological Theory

In this course you will explore the sound structure of language from a theoretical perspective. Building on the skills and knowledge developed in HG2003 Phonetics and Phonology, you will begin with a review of basic concepts in speech production, perception and transcription. From there, you will explore theoretical models that can be used to characterize how human knowledge of sound structure is represented and implemented. Traditional frameworks including SPE, autosegmental phonology and Optimality Theory will be covered, though emphasis will be placed on how original theories and models can be constructed from empirical data. In the final part of the course you will explore how existing formal models have developed in recent years, and how they can be applied to issues in typology, social identity, computational linguistics, and language change.