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Spanish Phonetics and Phonology

Code: 100587 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2504012 Spanish and Chinese Studies: Language, Literature and Culture OB 3
2504386 English and Spanish Studies OB 2
2504388 Catalan and Spanish Studies OB 3

Contact

Name:
Lourdes Aguilar Cuevas
Email:
lourdes.aguilar@uab.cat

Teachers

Maria Jesus Machuca Ayuso
Maria Assumpcio Rost Bagudanch

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

The student must have acquired the essential language skills to effectively express themselves in Spanish, both orally and in writing.

It is essential to emphasize that any spelling or expression errors made by the student will result in a deduction of points from the final grade (a deduction of 0,25 per error in evaluation assessments).

In this course, originality holds great significance, and it is strictly forbidden to engage in complete or partial plagiarism of external materials published in any medium. Failure to appropriately attribute non-original content will automatically lead to a failing grade (0).

Furthermore, it is assumed that the student is familiar with the general guidelines for presenting academic work. However, if the professor deems it necessary, specific instructions may be provided, and it is expected that the student will comply with them accordingly.


Objectives and Contextualisation

  • Familiarize students with the fundamental concepts of phonetics and phonology, including theoretical principles and practical applications.
  • Enable students to describe in detail the phonetic system of Spanish, identifying and classifying sounds according to their articulatory and acoustic features.
  • Provide the necessary knowledge to analyze the phonological system of Spanish, understanding the relationships and functions of phonemes within the linguistic system.
  • Prepare students to apply the acquired knowledge in the study and research of phonetics and phonology, using transcription and data analysis techniques.
  • Offer a solid foundation that allows students to delve deeper into these disciplines in subsequent courses, such as "Phonetic Studies of Spanish: Perspectives and Applications," facilitating a deeper and more applied understanding of the subjects.
  • Contextualize the knowledge of phonetics and phonology within a broader framework of linguistic and interdisciplinary studies, highlighting its relevance to other fields, such as sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics and applied linguistics.

Competences

    Spanish and Chinese Studies: Language, Literature and Culture
  • Analyse the phonetic, phonological, morphological, syntactic, lexical and semantic properties of the Spanish language and the Mandarin Chinese language.
  • Describe the linguistic foundations on which the standards of Spanish and mandarin Chinese are based.
  • Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Use techniques for compilation, organisation and use of information and documentation with precision.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse linguistic structures in Spanish.
  2. Carry out predictions and inferences abut the content of a text.
  3. Construct texts according to the established rules.
  4. Describe and identify the phonetic and phonological system of the Spanish language.
  5. Identify errors of rules, style or argument in a text.
  6. Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
  7. Use digital tools for collecting, classifying, interpreting and analysing relevant data.
  8. Use the adequate terminology in the construction of an academic text.
  9. Use the necessary resources, both digital and non-digital (data bases, text repositories, dictionaries, reference works), for the analysis of any document, spoken or written, from a linguistic point of view.

Content

The subject is formed by the following thematic blocks.

 1. Articulatory description of vowels and consonants

Articulatory parameters for the classification of the vowels: oral opening and tongue position. Articulatory parameters for the classification of consonants: mode of articulation, place of articulation and sonority.

 2. Acoustic description of vowels and consonants

Acoustic parameters for the classification of sounds: periodic and aperiodic sounds. Relationships between articulatory and acoustic characteristics.

 3. The phonetic transcription

The phonetic alphabets: the alphabet of the Journal of Spanish Philology (RFE) and the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).

 4. Prosodic phenomena

The accent. The intonation. Junctions and pauses.

 5. The phonological system of Spanish

From sound to phoneme. Phonemes and allophones. Contexts and distributions. Variation factors.

6. Characterization of Spanish Phonemes through Distinctive Features

Physical description and distinctive features. Types of feature systems and their application to Spanish.

 7. The syllable

 The syllable as a phonological unit. Syllabic division and structure. Nucleus and margins. Vocalic and consonantic groups.

 8. Phonological processes of Spanish

The sounds in contact. The representation of the phonological processes of Spanish.

 

 


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Master classes 26.5 1.06 4
Resolution of exercises 26 1.04 4, 7, 6, 9
Type: Supervised      
Preparation of evaluation activities 5 0.2 4, 7, 9
Supervision and review of exercises 10 0.4 4, 7, 6, 9
Type: Autonomous      
Extension of knowledge 15 0.6 4, 7, 6, 9
Preparation of exercises 15 0.6 4, 7, 6, 9
Preparation of reading comprehension activities 15 0.6 4, 7, 9
Preparation of written production activities 15 0.6 4, 7, 9
Search for bibliographical references 15 0.6 4, 7, 9

The learning of this subject by the student is distributed as follows:

(1) 35% of guided activities
 
These guided activities must respect the established time schedule in the previous section. Moreover, it has to be done under the face-to-face supervision of a teacher. Additionally,  it must be taken into account that these activities are distributed in theoretical classes (17.5%) and discussion on different types of documents (17.5%).

(2) 10% Supervised activity

Supervised activity (10%) is programmed by the teacher so that students work autonomously, supervised by the teacher though. These activities can be carried out during the assigned practice hours of the subject, or the teaching staff may propose exercises to be performed outside the classroom.

(3) 50% Autonomous activities

In these activities the hours of study and the preparation of evaluable tests should be taken into account. These activities must be done by the student autonomously. The students will dedicate about totally 75 hours to these activities. Autonomous activities are consisted of assessment tests which will take place in class.

(4) 5% Evaluation activities

The teacher will carry out a continuous assessment on this subject through the three previously mentioned exercises. Additionally, the students have to do a written test. In this test, the use of written language in the proper context will also be assessed, since this subject corresponds to the field "Spanish language".

 

 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Phonetic transcription test of a file audio, analysis of the speaker articulations 10% 2.5 0.1 4, 7, 6, 9
Written test of the theoretical contents about Phonetics: Practice and Theory 25%+20% 2.5 0.1 1, 3, 4, 8, 7, 5, 2, 9
Written test of the theoretical contents about Phonology: Practice and Theory 25%+20% 2.5 0.1 1, 3, 4, 8, 7, 5, 2, 9

Assessment

Students must participate in all evaluation activities.

  • Phonetic transcription test of a file audio, analysis of the speaker articulations (10%)
  • Written test of the theoretical contents about Phonetics: Practice (25%) and Theory (20%)
  • Written test of the theoretical contents about Phonology: Practice (25%) and Theory (20%)

To pass the subject, the final grade must be at least a 5, once the percentages have been applied.

A "non-evaluable" will be assigned when the provided evaluation evidence corresponds to a maximum of one-fourth of the total grade of the subject.

After submitting each assessment activity, the teacher will inform the students (via Moodle) of the review procedure and date of grading.

Recovery. Missed or failed activities

The student who has obtained a minimum weighted average grade of 3.5 but has not reached 5 will be eligible for recovery.

This test will consist of an additional exam during the designated reassessment period set by the Faculty, following the guidelines presented in this section.

Students who take the reassessment exam and pass it will receive a final grade of 5.

There will be no additional exams to increase the final mark of the subject.

Irregularities in assessment activities

If a student engages in any irregularities that could significantly affect the grading of an evaluation activity, that activity will be assigned a grade of 0, regardless of any disciplinary proceedings that may be initiated. If multiple irregularities occur in the evaluation activities of the same subject, the final grade for that subject will be 0.

Single Assessment

In the case that students choose the single assessment, they will have to take the following tests (the date will be indicated in Moodle)

  • Phonetic transcription test of a file audio, analysis of thespeaker articulations (10%)
  • Written test of the theoretical contents about Phonetics: Practice (25%) and Theory (20%)
  • Written test of the theoretical contents about Phonology: Practice (25%) and Theory (20%)

The same assessment method as continuous assessment will be used


Bibliography

ALCOBA, Santiago & Julio MURILLO (1998). "Intonation in Spanish", en Daniel Hirst y Albert di Cristo (Eds.), Intonation Systems, A Survey of Twenty Languages, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 152-166.

KATZ, William F. & Peter F. ASSMANN (2019). The Routledge Handbook of Phonetics, Routledge, London

COLINA, Sonia & Fernando MARTÍNEZ-GIL (eds) (2019). The Routledge Handbook of Spanish Phonology, Routledge, London.

CHOMSKY, Noam & Morris HALLE (1968). The Sound Pattern of English. New York: Harper & Row. Trad cast de José Antonio Millán: Principios de fonología generativa. Madrid: Fundamentos, 1979.

FACE, Timothy (2008). Guide to the Phonetic Symbols of Spanish, Sommerville, Cascadilla Press.

FERNÁNDEZ PLANAS, Ana María (2005). Así se habla. Nociones fundamentales de fonética general y española, Horsori, 2005, 2ª ed.2011

GIL FERNÁNDEZ, Juana (1988). Los sonidos del lenguaje. Madrid: Ed. Síntesis.

GIL FERNÁNDEZ, Juana (2007). Fonética para profesores de español de la teoría a la práctica. Madrid: Arco Libros.

GIL FERNÁNDEZ, Juana (2016). "Fonética". En J. Gutiérrez-Rexach (ed.), Enciclopedia de lingüística hispánica, vol. 1. Londres-Nueva York: Routledge, pp. 64-80.

GIL FERNÁNDEZ, Juana & Joaquim LLISTERRI (2024). Fonética y fonología descriptivas de la lengua española, Georgetown University Press, Georgetown.

HARRIS, James Wesley (1983). Syllable Structure and Stress in Spanish. A Nonlinear Analysis. Cambridge: MIT Press. Trad. cast. de Olga Fernández Soriano: La estructura silábica yel acentoen español.Visor, 1991.

HIDALGO, Antonio & Mercedes QUILIS (2004). Fonética y Fonología Españolas. Valencia: Tirant lo Blanch, 2ª ed. corr. y aum.

HIDALGO, Antonio (2006). Aspectos de la entonación española: viejos y nuevos enfoques. Madrid: Arco/Libros.

HUALDE, José Ignacio (2014). Los sonidos del español, Cambridge University Press

HUALDE, José Ignacio, OLARREA, Antxon, ESCOBAR, Anna Maria, TRAVIS, Catherine. E., & SANZ, Cristina (2020). Introducción a la lingüística hispánica. Cambridge University Press. Capítulo 2 Los sonidos de la lengua: fonética y fonología.

IRIBARREN, Mary C. (2005). Fonética y Fonología Españolas. Madrid: Editorial Síntesis.

KATZ, William F. & Peter F. ASSMANN (2019). The Routledge Handbook of Phonetics, Routledge, London.

MARTÍNEZ CELDRÁN, Eugenio & Ana María FERNÁNDEZ PLANAS (2007). Manual de fonética española. Articulaciones y sonidos del español. Barcelona: Ariel.

NAVARRO TOMÁS, Tomás (1918). Manual de pronunciación española. CSIC: Madrid. 21ª edición, 1982.

NAVARRO TOMAS, Tomás (1945). Manual de entonación española. New York: Hispanic Institute. 4ª edición: Madrid: Guadarrama (Punto Omega, 175), 1974.

OBEDIENTE, Enrique (2007). Fonética y fonologia (3a ed.). Mérida: Consejo de Publicaciones, Facultad de Humanidades y Educación, Universidad de Mérida. (Primera edición: 1998).

PENAS IBÁÑEZ, María Azucena (2014). Panorama de la fonética española. Madrid: Arco-Libros.

QUILIS, Antonio (1981). Fonéticaacústica delalengua española. Madrid: Gredos (Biblioteca Románica Hispánica, Manuales, 49).

QUILIS, Antonio (1993). Tratado de fonología y fonética españolas. Madrid: Gredos (Biblioteca Románica Hispánica, Manuales, 74).

REAL ACADEMIA ESPAÑOLA (2011). Nueva Gramática de la Lengua Española: Fonética y Fonología y el DVD Las voces del español: tiempo y espacio, Madrid: Espasa.

ROMÁN MONTES DE OCA, Domingo (2011). Manual para el análisis fonético acústico. Chile: Pfeiffer.

SOSA, Juan M. (1999). La entonación del español. Su estructura fónica, variabilidad y dialectología, Madrid, Cátedra.

 

Learning resources


Software

 

 


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 2 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 3 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 1 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 2 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 3 Spanish first semester morning-mixed