SPN 346 Syllabus, Fall 2009
SPANISH 346 (48155) Fall 2009
TTH 11:00 – 12:30, MEZ 1.306
PRACTICAL PHONETICS
Catalog Description
A thorough review of Spanish pronunciation, phonetics, and oral readings. Prerequisite: SPN 612 or 312L.
Professor
Orlando R. Kelm
Mezes 4.146, 232-4534
Office Hours: TTH 9:00 – 9:30, 12:30 – 1:30
Homepage: http://orlandokelm.wordpress.com/
Course Twitter: http://twitter.com/spn346
TAs
Andrés Jaramillo, office hours: T, Th 9:30-11:00am, andresjaramillo_03@hotmail.com, BEN 5th floor, Desk # 37b
Jillian Striker, office hours: T, Th 1:30-3pm, striker@mail.utexas.edu, BEN 5th floor, Desk # 33b
Amanda Suhey, office hours: T 3-5pm, F 12:30-1:30pm asuhey@gmail.com, BEN 5th floor, Desk # 33a
A. Course Materials
Kelm, Orlando R. Course Blog: http://spn346.wordpress.com/
B. Class Schedule
August
Week 1
Thursday, 27
Course Introduction & Design: Lectures, Blog, Student Projects, Transcriptions
Week 2
September
Tuesday, 1
Mini Lecture: IPA Symbols for Spanish
Thursday, 3
Mini Lecture: IPA Symbols for English
Week 3
Tuesday, 8
Mini Lecture: Phonation
Thursday, 10
Mini Lecture: Major Characteristics of Mexican Spanish
Orlando Blog Posts: Mexico (Saladitas Gamesa, Maná, Irma Cantú)
Week 4
Tuesday, 15
Blog Post, Analysis, and Presentation: Mexico, Groups 1-4
Transcription Exercise 1: Saladitas Gamesa
Thursday, 17
Content Quiz 1 (General Linguistics & Mexico)
Blog URL Link: Univ. of Iowa Phonetics
Week 5
Tuesday, 22
Mini Lecture: Pronunciation and Transcription of /p t k/
Mini Lecture: Pronunciation and Transcription of /b d g/
Thursday, 24
Mini Lecture: Major Characteristics of Argentine Spanish
Orlando Blog Posts: Argentina (Coca Cola, Mercedes Sosa, Emilia Arce)
Week 6
Tuesday, 29
Blog Post, Analysis, and Presentation: Argentina, Groups 5-8
Transcription Exercise 2: Coca Cola
October
Thursday, 1
Mini Lecture: Pronunciation and Transcription of other fricative sounds
Week 7
Tuesday, 6
Mini Lecture: Phonemes and Allophones
Thursday, 8
Content Quiz 2 (Argentina)
Blog URL Link: Ladefoged UCLA
Note: Purdue Conference, Prof. Kelm
Week 8
Tuesday, 13
Mini Lecture: Languages vs. Dialects, Spain
Thursday, 15
Mini Lecture: Major Characteristics of Spanish from Spain
Orlando Blog Posts: España (Pepsi, Manuel Carrasco, Juan Carlos de la Osa)
Week 9
Tuesday, 20
Blog Post, Analysis, and Presentation: España, Groups 8-12
Transcription Exercises 3: Juan Carlos de la Osa
Thursday, 22
Mini Lecture: Vowels and Semivowels
Week 10
Tuesday, 27
Content Quiz 3 (Spain)
Blog URL Link: George Mason Univ. Speech Accent Archive
Thursday, 29
Mini Lecture: Syllable Division
November
Week 11
Tuesday, 3
Mini Lecture: Major Characteristics of Caribbean Spanish
Orlando Blog Posts: El Caribe (Pepsi, Manuel Carrasco, Antonio E. Fernández)
Thursday, 5
Blog Post, Analysis, and Presentation: El Caribe, Groups 12-15
Transcription Exercise 4: Antonio E. Fernández
Week 12
Tuesday, 10
Mini Lecture: Pronunciation and Transcription of nasal sounds
Thursday, 12
Mini Lecture: Pronunciation and Transcription of /r/ and /l/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E2y1UlTwhI
Note: BYU Case Competition, Nov 13-14
Week 13
Tuesday, 17
Mini Lecture: Pronunciation and Transcription of Intonation
Thursday, 19
Content Quiz 4 (Caribbean Spanish)
Note: ACTFL Conference, Nov 20-22
Week 14
Tuesday, 24
SPN 383 Training Projects
Thursday, 26
Thanksgiving holiday
Week 15
December
Tuesday, 1
Student Project Presentations
Thursday, 3
Student Project Presentations
C. Unit Quizzes
There will be four unit quizzes. They will be taken in class and consist of phonetic transcriptions and short essay questions based on the content of the class lectures (as summarized in the class notes). Each quiz is worth 100 points and are based on the following schedule:
1. Thursday, Sept 17, General Linguistics and Mexico
2. Thursday, Oct 08, Argentina
3. Tuesday, Oct 27, España
4. Thursday, Nov 19, El Caribe
D. Phonetic Transcriptions
There are four phonetic transcription assignments. The transcriptions are completed at home and are due based on the following schedule:
1. Tuesday, Sept 15, Mexico, Saladitas Gamesa
2. Tuesday, Sept 29, Argentina, Coca Cola
3. Tuesday, Oct 20, España, Juan Carlos de la Osa
4. Thursday, Nov 5, El Caribe, Antonio E. Fernández
Each transcription is worth 50 points and is graded on the accuracy of the symbols, accent marks, and diacritics.
E. Group Blog Post, Analysis, and Presentation
During the course the members of the class will be divided into 15 study teams. Each team will have an opportunity to add a post to the course blog. The post should include the following
1. A sample of speech from a specific dialect
2. An orthographic transcription of the words
3. An analysis of the phonetic features.
Note: It is not enough to just link the media. Groups must include observations about pronunciation, transcriptions of sounds, analysis of linguistic tendencies, or ideas for learners of Spanish.
In order to post comments on our blog, at least one member of each group needs to be a contributor to my blog at wordpress.com. This means that this person will need a wordpress account. To obtain an account, please do the following.
- Go to http://wordpress.com
- Click on “Sign Up Now”
- Fill out the username, password, email address, and check the legal flotsam
- Check “Just a username, please”
- You will receive an email to activate your account. Click on the appropriate link.
- When you get a confirmation of your new account, email me (orkelm@mail.utexas.edu) and then I will send the invitation to join my blog.
- You will then receive another email with the invitation, click on the link to accept the invitation.
- After that whenever you log on to wordpress.com it will list the SPN346 blog as one of yours and as a contributor you will be able to add posts (which pass through a filter for my approval).
In addition to the blog posting, each group will also make a 15-minute class presentation to provide a summary and analysis of the posts. The post and presentation is worth 100 points. General Guidelines:
1. Include Posts under the category “De los alumnos” and your team name.
2. Add the country category to your posts.
3. Add the appropriate Tags to all of your posts.
4. Include analysis and notes to your posts. Grades are based on a) on time and appropriate length; b) accuracy of content; c) use of phonetic terms; d) involving the class in your presentation.
5. Comments and presentations should be in Spanish.
F. Class Notes
After each class lecture the instructor will post an outline of the topics on the course blog. Student groups will be assigned to write the class notes for each lecture. These notes should be added as comments to the course blog. Each unit will have an outline of the topics and the class notes should be posted at that site. Provide as many details as you can, and feel free to add other links, URLs, or examples to help clarify the content of the lectures. Class notes are worth 50 points each and each group will prepare 2 during the semester.
G. Group Project
In addition to the 4 regions studied in class (Mexico, Argentina, Spain, Caribbean,) each group chooses another region of the Spanish-speaking world and adds a blog post, analysis, and commentary of that region’s speech. The group project is worth 100 points and is presented during the final week of the semester. Grading is based on the same criteria as the previous group blog presentations.
H. Attendance
Students begin the semester with 100 points for attendance and lose 5 points for each day missed.
I. Grading
The final grade is based on the percentage of total points earned (A=90+, B=80+, C=70+, D=60+). No make up work is allowed. Points are distributed on the following basis:
200 pts Individual Transcription Exercises (4 x 50 pts)
400 pts Individual Content Quizzes (4 x 100 pts)
100 pts Group Post, Analysis & Presentation (1 x 100 pts)
100 pts Group Class Notes (2 x 50 pts)
100 pts Group Project (1 x 100 pts)
100 pts Individual Attendance (100 – 5 per day)
1000 pts TOTAL
Note: The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-6441 TTY.
