Preface

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 400.

This book is designed as a systematic course in theoretical phonetics of English. It suggests a methodical approach to major issues in phonetics and phonology and is intended for stdents of linguistic faculties. The aim of the book is to form habits of academic and research bridging the gap between pure theoretical desriptions of the problems in quetsions and straightforward language practice. Through the materials, questions and exercises suggested, the author hopes to meet the following objectives:

1. To stimulate students' abstract thinking by means of linguistic literatre analysis (see Further Theoretical Background section);

2. To secure students' habits of linguistic observation and text analysis, systematically training them to forsee and trace the connection between expressive phonetic, lexical and grammatical means;

3. To form appropriate professional habits and skills by means of carefully designed linguistic problems (see Tricky Questions and Exercises sections).

The book also makes use of a wide range of specially recorded material, the audio and computer versions being available in Ural State Technical University, Ekaterinburg, Russia. The exercises recorded from the speech of native speakers of English attempt to provide extensive practice for deep and rpofound understanding of the most vital issues of Phonetics and Phonology.

The theoretical material of the book gives an objective account on major existing theories and and can therefore be used a reference book in linguistic courses and in work on research, course and gradation papers. However, the book presupposes extensive self-study from the student; the results fo such work can later be discussed in the course of seminars or workshops, or during tutorials.