Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE FRE1001

 
TITLE Linguistique théorique 1: phonétique et phonologie/Theory in linguistics 1: Phonetics and Phonology

 
UM LEVEL 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT French

 
DESCRIPTION En phonétique, le travail se compose de deux volets: le volet théorique et le volet pratique. Grâce au premier, les étudiants prennent conscience de l’Alphabet Phonétique International et distinguent le domaine phonétique du domaine phonologique. Ils pratiquent la transcription phonétique et prennent conscience des règles phonétiques du français au niveau segmental et au niveau supra-segmental. Les concepts d’articulation, de co-articulation et de double articulation sont traités en détail. Le deuxième volet vient renforcer le premier: des exercices de prononciation sont effectués en classe, pour améliorer les connaissances et la performance des étudiants en phonétique articulatoire et combinatoire ainsi qu’en prosodie. Cette unité d’enseignement est bloquée.

In phonetics, the lectures are divided into two parts, a theoretical component and a practical one. Thanks to the first part, the students get to extensively practise phonetic transcription of French using the International Phonetic Alphabet and learn to distinguish between phonetics and phonology. They learn the rules which govern French phonetics on the segmental and supra-segmental levels. The notions of articulation, co-articulation and double articulation are dealt with in detail. The second part reinforces the first part of the study unit: a series of drills in the classroom are intended to help students improve their knowledge and performance in the articulationand combination of French phonetic sounds, as well as on the prosodic level.

Study-Unit Aims:

The study-unit aims to introduce to students the specificities of French pronunciation, and to provide them with a solid theoretical background of phoneme articulation, combination and segmentation rules. Its principal objective is to bring students to identify which phonemes are needed in all sound distribution contexts. Special emphasis is laid on bringing students to understand the articulatory properties of all French phonemes, double articulation and supra-segmental phenomena.

The study-unit aims to engage students in extensive practice of phonetic transcription, focusing on vowels that are particular to French, the difference between closed and open vowels, nasal vs. oral vowels, rules governing liaison, ‘e’ caduc and other aspects of French phonology.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- appreciate and explain the great difference which exists in the French language between the oral/aural and written sub-systems;
- read, decipher as well as carry out a transcript of an oral/aural passage in French compared to the written component of the language;
- consolidate the written component of the French language especially by interpreting the role of pronunciation in distinguishing morphological phenomena;
- distinguish between the nasal and oral vowels and semi-consonants/vowels of the French language;
- articulate correctly the sounds which make up the French phonetic system and to produce prosodic patterns which are closer to native French forms.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Texts:

- Abry, D. et Chalaron, M.-L., Les 500 Exercices de Phonétique, niv. B1/B2, Hachette FLE, 2011.
- Canault, M., La phonétique articulatoire du français, deboeck Université, 2017.
- Charliac, L. et Motron A.-C., Phonétique progressive du français avec 600 exercices, niv.Intermédiaire, 2e éd., Clé International, 2017.
- Dubois, J. et al., Dictionnaire de linguistique et des sciences du langage. Larousse, 1994.
- Léon, P.R., Phonétisme et prononciation du français, 4 éd. Armand Colin, 2005.
- Léon, P. et Léon, M., La prononciation du français, 2e éd., Armand Colin, 2004.
- Lambert-Drache, M., Sur le bout de la langue – Introduction au phonétisme du français, Canadian Scholars’ Press Inc., Toronto, 1997.
- Ripaud, D., Phonétique essentielle du français, niv. B1/B2, Didier, 2017.

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Pre-requisite Qualification: Grade C or better at Matsec Advanced Level in French.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Written Exercises YR Yes 30%
Examination (2 Hours) SEM2 Yes 70%

 
LECTURER/S Anne Marie Bezzina Busuttil

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit