Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor & Lecturer
Anita Szakay
Tutor
Julien Millasseau
Tutor
Ryssa Moffat
Administration
Margaret Wood
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Credit points |
Credit points
10
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
50cp at 2000 level or above including (LING2217 or LING217)
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
Phonology is the study of sound patterns in language - which sounds are used by different languages, how they are organized, and how sounds are represented in the mind. In this unit we will examine phonological theory, phonological organisation of speech, acquisition of phonology and issues relevant to phonological disorders. Topics to be addressed include: variation in sound structure between languages (e.g., English and Indigenous Australian languages), the phonology of tone languages (such as Chinese), sound change, and prosody (stress and rhythm in language), and morphophonology. Our focus will be on phonological data analysis (i.e. logic puzzle solving) using two approaches: Rule-Based Phonology and Optimality Theory. |
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
Final Exam | 40% | No | exam period |
Problem Set One | 25% | No | Week 7 |
Quizzes | 10% | No | Weeks 3, 5, 8, 10, 13 |
Problem Set Two | 25% | No | Week 12 |
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: exam period
Weighting: 40%
In a series of short answers and extended responses, students will demonstrate all aspects of their understanding of phonological concepts and data analysis.
Assessment Type 1: Problem set
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 7
Weighting: 25%
In a series of short answer responses, students will account for phonological phenomena in the dataset(s) provided. Problem Set One will assess the topics of Features and Natural classes, Rules. The assessment will provide an opportunity to demonstrate insights into the sound structure of the language(s) being analysed, an understanding of phonological theory, and its application to the data. Word count: 2000.
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: Weeks 3, 5, 8, 10, 13
Weighting: 10%
In a total of 5 quizzes students will demonstrate their understanding of the prescribed reading material for each topic. Each quiz will comprise ten questions and will be automatically graded in iLearn.
Assessment Type 1: Problem set
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 12
Weighting: 25%
In a series of short answer responses, students will account for phonological phenomena in the dataset(s) provided. Problem Set Two will assess the topics of Morphophonology and Rule Ordering and Syllable, Prosody, and Stress. The assessment will provide an opportunity to demonstrate insights into the sound structure of the language(s) being analysed, an understanding of phonological theory, and its application to the data. Word count: 2000.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
This unit is taught over 13 weeks. Each week, students will attend both a lecture and a tutorial/workshop. Before attending each lecture, students will have read the set readings. After attending the lecture and before the tutorial, they revisit the set readings and prepare the solutions to the weekly assignments. They bring a copy to the workshop in order to discuss the solutions.
A proper understanding of phonology can only be gained by broad and attentive reading of the literature, and dedicated thinking about how these ideas apply to language data. You will not be able to pass this unit by simply scanning the lecture notes each week. If you read continuously, compile your own notes, take a thorough attempt at the weekly assignments, ask questions about the theory, and think about language structure, you should do well in this unit, and find it rewarding and relevant to your further studies and careers. If you do not prepare adequately for class and fail to take responsibility for your own learning, you will struggle.
We strongly encourage note-taking with pen-and blank paper rather than on laptops or other electronic devices. Pen-and-paper note taking facilitates the non-linear thinking strategies required for phonological analysis.
Online Lectures
Lectures are designed to summarize and reinforce the key ideas that you have already encountered in your own reading of the literature, not to introduce you to material for the first time.
Online OR Face-to-Face Tutorials
The weekly tutorial assignment invite you to apply the learned phonological concepts to real language data or formulate your own stance regarding a theoretical issue. Students will be invited to share their solutions during the tutorial. Preparation of the tutorial assignments constitutes exam preparation; the discussion of the assignments during the tutorials constitutes feedback on your current understanding and analysis skills.
The tutorial/workshop sessions are designed to further consolidate the phonological concepts, discuss and further illustrate the application to real language data. Attendance at and participation in tutorials will contribute to learning how to communicate, explain, and illustrate phonological concepts and processes (learning outcomes 1 and 2). Tutorials will provide extensive practice in analysing phonological data and explaining them under different phonological frameworks (learning outcomes 4 and 5).
Tutorial Attendance
Attendance at and participation in tutorials is expected and class rolls will be taken. No recordings will be available for the interactive and problem-based weekly tutorial classes. Students are, therefore, strongly encouraged to attend all tutorials during semester.
Workload
3 credit points, amounting to 10 hours per week or 135 hours in total.
26 hours lectures 13 lectures; 2 hours per week
19.5 hours workshops/labs/tutorials 13 tutorials; 1.5 hours per week
50 hours assessment tasks 4 assessment tasks; 10-15 hours each
39 hours class preparation 3 hours, for example
1.5 hours reading lecture materials
1.5 hour preparing tutorial assignment
Extension Requests and Lateness Policy
Late submissions without an extension will receive a penalty of 3% of the total mark available for the assessment task per day including weekend days (i.e. this is 3% of the total marks possible for the task – NOT 3% of the marks the student received. For example, if the assessment task is worth 100 marks and the student is two days late their mark for the task is reduced by 6 marks.) Late submission of an assessment task without an extension will not be accepted at all after the date on which marked assessment tasks have been released to the rest of the class. Any student with unsubmitted work at this date will receive a mark of 0 for the assessment task. Extensions will only be given in special circumstances, and can be requested by completing the Special Consideration request at ask.mq.edu.au and providing the requisite supporting documentation. Extensions that will result in submissions after the assessment task has been returned to the class will require a separate assessment task to be completed at the unit convenor's discretion. For more information on Special Consideration, see the university website https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration\ If a student fails the unit due to non-submission of an assignment or non-attendance at an exam, an FA grade will be applied in accordance with the University's Assessment Policy.
Technologies used and required
Word processing and conversion to pdf file format is needed for completing both Problem Sets One and Two; internet access is needed for downloading lecture and tutorial materials and for uploading assignments. No other technologies.
Required textbook:
Secondary (recommended) textbooks:
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Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
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