Auditory and Acoustic Phonetics

Subject AUDI90026 (2011)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2011.

Credit Points: 6.25
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject is not offered in 2011.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 24 hours
Total Time Commitment: Estimated total time commitment 60 hours
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements: For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website : http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Contact

Academic coordinator:
Colleen Holt, Shani Dettman, Richard Dowell

Administrative coordinator:
Annie Cruse
acruse@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview: This subject introduces the study of speech sounds and their perception. The course provides an introduction to the International Phonetic Alphabet, and illustrates its uses as a transcription tool. The course will cover both broad and narrow transcription of speech, as well as the use of the extended IPA in transcribing disordered speech. Students will be introduced to the acoustic analysis of speech sounds, and will gain an understanding of how the acoustic structure of sounds is related to their perception.
Objectives:

At the completion of this course students will:

  • use broad and narrow IPA to accurately transcribe spoken language
  • understand how speech sounds are produced in the vocal tract, the effect of the position of the articulators (tongue, lips, velum, etc.) on speech sounds and the acoustic principles underlying these effects
  • understand the acoustic features of different speech sounds as they relate to their production and auditory discrimination
  • understand the range of intensity, frequency and temporal components found in normal speech sounds and the effects of inter- and intra- speaker variations
  • understand the effect of intensity, background noise and reverberation on speech perception.
Assessment:
  • Attendance and contribution to practical (broad transcription) to be held after Lecture 6 with submission of written report - 10%
  • Attendance and contribution to practical (narrow transcription) to be held after Lecture 10 with submission of written report - 10%
  • Attendance and contribution to practical (acoustic analysis) - 5%
  • Transcription assignment 1000 words - 25%, to be submitted in the final week of Semester 1
  • A two hour written examination at the end of the semester – 50%
Students must pass the written examination (50%) and transcription assignment (25%) in order to pass this subject.
Prescribed Texts: Ladefoged, P. (2006) A course in phonetics. 5th Ed. Boston, MA: Wodsworth Publishing
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:

On completion of this subject students should have:

  • well developed problem solving skills,
  • an ability to evaluate and synthesise information in a flexible manner
  • a capacity to articulate the knowledge gained in both oral and written
Related Course(s): Master of Speech Pathology

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