https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/L_WABACIW203The main goal of the course is to provide students with a comprehensive overview of general theoretical issues in phonetics. On completion of this course, students should be able to identify, describe and understand key concepts involved in describing the acoustic and articulatory properties of speech sounds, as well as how speech sounds are produced and perceived. They will be able to use their newly gained practical skills to perform a basic acoustic analysis on various acoustic characteristics of speech signals. Furthermore, students will also know how to use and apply phonetic theories and concepts in other disciplines of language and communication.This course will introduce students to the study of phonetics. Whereas phonetics is a branch of linguistics that studies the sounds of human speech, as well as the equivalent aspects of signs in sign language, the main focus of this course will be on the acoustic characteristics and physical aspects of speech production and perception. Knowledge about the mechanism involved in speech production and perception will help to better understand and appreciate speech and its communicative function. It also helps to better understand the mechanisms and potential problems in language and speech development including second language acquisition. Theoretical phonetic issues will be linked with hands-on experience in acoustic analysis using PRAAT. Through lectures, assignments and hands-on sessions students will also get acquainted with possible applications of different phonetic theories and concepts in different areas of language and communication.A combination of lectures and seminars (2 hours per week), and practical sessions (2 hours per week). Practical sessions and assignments can be accomplished on your own. Attendance of all meetings is highly recommended.Grades will be based on written practical sessions reports including answers to questions for studying course materials (40%); a written final exam including a critical summary, essay, or a special assignment that addresses the application of phonetics in language and linguistic communication (60%). In order to pass the course, the student must pass each component with at least 5.0. The weighted average of all grades has to be at least 5.5.Phonetics, A practical Introduction by Ratree Wayland (2019), Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108407070-6. Some additional non-textbook readings will be announced during the course.2nd-year Bachelor's students in CIS, specialisation Language Learning and Language Teaching. The course is also part of the premaster's programme in Applied LInguistics (Language Disorders).This is a mandatory course in the CIS specialisation Language Learning and Language Teaching. Students are required to hand in fully completed written reports before they are due. Deadlines will be provided on the course website and in the planning. If you hand in a report that is incomplete or too late, or you do not hand in a report without informing the instructor before the deadline, there will be no make-up assignments or extensions of deadlines . As a consequence, you are not allowed to participate in the exam and you cannot pass the course within this academic year.Basic knowledge of general linguistics.