This page lists ways to learn more about the discipline of phonetics via classes, the Internet, books, articles, and conferences.

Highlighted resource: For a graduate-level introduction, consider enrolling in LING-L 541 (Introductory Phonetics).


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Undergraduate classes at IU

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Undergraduate classes at IU

The course descriptions below are taken from the Undergraduate Academic Bulletin of the College of Arts and Sciences. To see details about the classes during a particular semester, see the Schedule of Classes.

Linguistics and Second Language Studies

LING-L 306Phonetics: Introduction to the nature of speech, and the physiology and process of speech production, and training in IPA transcription of utterances drawn from the languages of the world, including various English dialects. The course includes an emphasis on naturally occurring speech and understanding physical aspects of speech behavior. Some laboratory work is included.
LING-L 307Phonology: Basic concepts such as the phoneme and distinctive feature as defined and used within particular theories. The relationship of phonology to phonetics and morphology; exploration of salient aspects of sound structure and some characteristic modes of argumentation; extensive phonological analysis with some practice in writing phonological rules.
SLST-S 312New Sounds: Foreign Accents and Pronunciation in a Second Language: Presents phonetic manifestations of foreign accent to describe what factors in a learner language might impact accent and intelligibility when speaking English. Introduces methods for teaching pronunciation to second language learners, and how to measure progress and develop strategies for specific pronunciation difficulties.

Speech and Hearing Sciences

SPHS-S 111Introduction to Phonetics for Speech and Hearing Sciences: Scientific study of speech production, based on the International Phonetic Alphabet. Exercises in transcription.
SPHS-S 201Speech and Hearing Physiology: Introduction to the anatomy and physiology of the speech mechanism, including respiration, phonation, articulation/resonance, nervous system, and audition.
SPHS-S 275Human Hearing and Communication: Examines human hearing and communication, including the physics of sound, auditory anatomy and physiology, and auditory perception; diagnostic audiology, including hearing assessment and screening; rehabilitative audiology, including an overview of hearing aids, cochlear implants, and educational issues for children with hearing loss.
SPHS-S 302Acoustics for Speech and Hearing Sciences: Basic acoustics with the emphasis being on topics applicable to the speech and hearing sciences. Acoustics of the speech and hearing mechanisms. Instrumentation for sound production and recording.
SPHS-S 311Introduction to Research in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences: Introduction to research methodology in speech and hearing science, both basic and applied. Focuses on basic designs, analyses, and how research informs clinical practice. Course includes discussion of ethics, evaluation of research, and scientific writing.
SPHS-S 350Speech Science: Provides an overview of speech production, including acoustics and physiology, as well as speech perception. The focus is on non-disordered speech in adults with some coverage of development as warranted.
SPHS-S 375Hearing Science: Provides an in-depth study of hearing in the normal auditory system. Topics include anatomy and physiology of the ear, anatomy and physiology of the auditory brain, and auditory perception and psychophysics.
SPHS-S 378Introduction to Psychoacoustics: Perception of sound by normal and hearing-impaired listeners. Topics covered include masking, pitch, loudness, sound localization, and other auditory phenomena.
SPHS-S 420Phonological Acquisition and Disorders in Children: Survey of acquisition and development of sound systems, with focus on perception and production. Relationship between normal sound development and phonological disorders. Procedures for assessing and treating phonological disorders.

Psychological/Brain Sciences and Cognitive Science

PSY-P 329Sensation and Perception: Basic data, theories, psychophysics, illusions, and other topics fundamental to understanding sensory and perceptual processes.
PSY-P 335Cognitive Psychology: Introduction to human cognitive processes, including attention and perception, memory, psycholinguistics, problem solving, and thinking.
PSY-P 405Elementary Mathematical Psychology: Survey of mathematically oriented psychological theories and their applications to learning, perception, psychophysics, decision making, small groups, etc.
PSY-P 424Laboratory in Sensation and Perception: The experimental investigation of current and classical problems in sensory psychology and perception.
PSY-P 438Language and Cognition: Methods, research, and theory in psycholinguistics. Examination of speech perception, speech production, psychological studies of syntax and semantics, language development, cognitive basis of linguistic theory, neurology of language, and language comprehension and thought.
COGS-Q 370Experiments and Models in Cognition: This course develops tools for studying mind and intelligence, including experimental techniques, and mathematical and computational models of human behavior. Topics include neural structures for cognition, attention, perception, memory, problem solving, judgment, decision making, and consciousness. Students will design and analyze laboratory experiments and apply formal models to the results.

Physics

PHYS-P 105Basic Physics of Sound: Physical principles involved in the description, generation, and reproduction of sound. Topics include physics of vibrations and waves, propagation, Fourier decomposition of complex wave forms, harmonic spectra, standing waves and resonance, sound loudness and decibels, room acoustics, analog/digital recording/reproduction.
PHYS-P 108Audio Technology Acoustics Laboratory: For audio technology and telecommunications majors. Provides in-depth investigation of vibrating systems, wave phenomena, interference, complex wave synthesis, analysis, resonance, transducers. Study of analog, digital electronic circuits, amplifiers, oscillators, band pass filters, digital sound. Provides instrumentation experience, oscilloscopes, function generators, spectrum analyses.
PHYS-P 109Introductory Acoustics Laboratory: Laboratory experiments investigating properties of vibrating systems and waves, standing waves and resonances, filtering, analysis and synthesis of complex sounds, formants and speech recognition, and transducers for sounds.

Language departments

FRIT-F 315French Phonetics and Pronunciation: Five meetings per week: three lectures on problems of pronunciation and phonetic transcription, and two oral practice sessions.
HISP-S 425Spanish Phonetics: Intensive patterned pronunciation drills and exercises in sound discrimination and transcription, based on detailed articulatory description of standard Spanish of Spain and Latin America. Attendance in language laboratory required.
GER-G 448Introduction to German Phonetics and Phonology: Phonetics of modern German, including practice in transcription, contrastive analysis of English and German, and attention to pronunciation. Brief historical sketch of principal phonological developments. Conducted in German.
SLAV-R 403Russian Phonetics: Elements of articulatory and acoustical phonetics and their application to a comparative study of Russian and English sound systems. Methods in teaching pronunciation and intonation. Error analysis and correction of student's own pronunciation in lab and drill sections.
SLAV-R 434Intensive Russian Phonetics
NELC-N 329Arabic Phonetics and Phonology: Systematic study of Arabic phonetics/ phonology utilizing scientific phonetics both practical and theoretical and the phonological processes of generative phonological theory.

Theatre and Drama

THTR-T 325Voice and Speech: Introduction to voice production. Emphasizes relaxation, breathing, and the production of vocal sounds; deals with vocal habits and cultural holds through exercises and vocal workouts. Introduction to phonetics and practical work with text while freeing the voice and redeveloping a passion for language.
THTR-T 445Voice and Dialects: Investigation of dialects as a distinctive form of pronunciation, language, structure, and vocabulary identified with a geographical area or social class as it applies to the requirements of theatrical clarity and dramatic interpretation. Working with varied texts using points of resonance, vocal focus, and rhythm to unlock the actor's expressive tools.

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Graduate classes at IU

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Graduate classes at IU

The course descriptions below are taken from the University Graduate School bulletin. To see details about the classes during a particular semester, see the Schedule of Classes.

Linguistics and Second Language Studies

LING-L 541Introductory Phonetics: Survey of speech sound types in languages of the world with practice in discrimination, transcription, and production. Introduction to acoustic phonetics, physiology of speech production, and speech perception; with concurrent laboratory section. [Course website.]
LING-L 542Phonological Analysis: An introduction to the principles of contemporary phonological theory and tools of phonological analysis and description. The format of the course is oriented toward data-based problems from a wide variety of languages.
LING-L 641Advanced Phonetics: Experimental analysis of the speech signal; speech articulation and the structure of phonetic space. A survey of current theories of speech production and perception with experience designing and conducting experiments, and some consideration of phonetic factors that determine the choice of particular sound contrasts in languages.
LING-L 642Advanced Phonological Description: Problems of phonological description and their theoretical implications. Practice in formulating and evaluating explanatory statements about various phonetic, phonotactic, and morphophonemic properties of languages.
LING-L 710Seminar in Phonetics: Selected problems in the acoustic, motor, and auditory structure of the sounds of human language.
LING-L 712Seminar in Phonology: Research and reports on selected problems of generative phonology.
SLST-S 512Second Language Phonology: Introduces students to second language phonological systems in light of issues in current phonological theory. Examines the acquisition of segments, syllable constraints, and prosody in second languages. We discuss mechanisms that determine the role of the first language in second language development. Students will develop problem-solving skills.
SLST-T 514English Phonology for Language Learning and Teaching: Introduction to phonology as it applies to the learning and teaching of second languages.

Speech and Hearing Sciences

SPHS-S 501Neural Bases of Speech and Language: Neuroanatomy of central and peripheral brain structures mapped to vocal tract structures; sensory and motor physiology; theories of motor control; neural control of vocalization and upper airway during propositional and nonpropositional speech; localization of receptive and expressive language brain areas, neuropathology and pathophysiology of central and peripheral nervous system lesions.
SPHS-S 502Acoustic Phonetics: Examines speech perception and the acoustics of speech production in normally developing or speech-language disordered populations. A brief overview of speech acoustics and speech perception in normal adults will be included. Laboratory experiences.
SPHS-S 508Physiological Models for Perception and Production of Speech and Voice: Provides students with understanding of the physiological bases for production and perception of speech and voice in humans. Covers the dynamic functioning of structures of the organs of speech production and perception, and the relations of their parts. This knowledge will form the basis for subsequent understanding of disorders of speech production and perception.
SPHS-S 509Speech and Language Diagnostics: Theoretical bases of speech-language assessment, including concepts of testing and measurement, formal and informal evaluation techniques, and normative and non-normative approaches. Required accompanying laboratory provides observation and experience with specific assessment procedures.
SPHS-S 511Phonetics of American Speech: Scientific study of American pronunciation based on International Phonetic Alphabet. Exercises in transcription.
SPHS-S 513Speech Anatomy and Physiology: Anatomy and physiology of the speech mechanism; contemporary views of speech physiology; subsystems of the speech mechanism—respiratory, laryngeal, and supraglottal—integrated with a model of speech production. Laboratory experiences.
SPHS-S 519Mathematical Foundation for Speech and Hearing Sciences: Provides mathematical background for core graduate courses in speech and hearing sciences. Covers analysis and generation of periodic and aperiodic acoustic signals and decision theory. Focuses on interactive, project-oriented modules.
SPHS-S 520Phonological Treatment: Survey of evidence-based practices in treatment of children with phonological disorders. Advanced approaches to clinical management using principles of single-subject design to improve efficiency.
SPHS-S 521Phonological Acquisitions and Disorders in Children: Survey of acquisition and development of sound systems, with focus on perception and production. Relationship between normal sound development and phonological disorders. Procedures for assessing and treating phonological disorders.
SPHS-S 550Motor Speech Disorders: Disorders of speech motor programming (dyspraxia) and speech production (dysarthria) resulting from damage to primary motor, sensory, or sensorimotor pathways in the central and/or peripheral nervous system are considered at auditory-perceptual, acoustic, and physiologic levels. Assessment and management of motor speech disorders.
SPHS-S 571Auditory Anatomy and Physiology: Structure and function of the mammalian auditory system, including aspects of both cellular and systems physiology.
SPHS-S 574The Central Auditory Nervous System: Course covers the anatomy and physiology of the central auditory system. Emphasis is on neural processing mechanisms in mammalian auditory brain areas found in the medulla to the auditory cortex.
SPHS-S 575Human Hearing and Communication: Development of the auditory system and landmarks of auditory behavior, types of hearing loss, intake and exit interviewing techniques, audiometric standards, pure tone audiometry, acoustics impedance measurements, screening for auditory disorders and speech audiometry, effect of age and aging on oral communication, counseling the hearing impaired, strategies in selecting hearing aids, recommending auditory training, speech reading, and manual communication.
SPHS-S 601Experimental Phonetics II: Speech acoustics. Examination of theories of vocal-tract transmission through a historical perspective. Consideration of literature in acoustic phonetics, with emphasis on research that models speech acoustics relative to articulatory configuration. Laboratory experiences.
SPHS-S 678Introduction to Psychoacoustics: Perception of sound by normal and hearing-impaired listeners. Topics covered include masking, pitch, loudness, and other auditory phenomena.
SPHS-S 683Research Forum in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences: Research presentations by students, faculty in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, and guest speakers.
SPHS-S 685Research in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences: Selected topics in research design, analysis, and reporting (articles and talks); ethics; and preparation of grant proposals, as appropriate to speech, language and hearing sciences, and disorders.
SPHS-S 686Physiological Research in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences: Course topics vary according to student interests, including: neuroscience research in speech, language, cognition, and hearing; imaging; videostroboscopy; and motor control.
SPHS-S 696Language Research in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences: Topics vary according to student interests, including advances in linguistic theory, language and phonological acquisition theory, neurolinguistics, language intervention, etiological research, cognition and language (including memory and attention), and reading and language. Lab components include computer software for both linguistic analyses and experimental presentation.
SPHS-S 702Acoustic Research in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences: Course topics vary according to student interests including speech production and perception in hearing impaired populations, language development, adult neurogenic speech and language disorders, voice analysis, and speech perception. Lab components to include digital recording, acoustic analysis and speech synthesis.
SPHS-S 777Speech Communication, Aging, and Hearing Impairment: This course focuses on whether hearing aids can help the elderly with impaired hearing understand speech, and if so, under what conditions and with what limitations.

Psychological/Brain Sciences and Center for Neural Sciences

PSY-P 503Complex Cognitive Processes: A survey of topics in human information processing, including attention, short-term storage, long-term retention, retrieval from memory, concept attainment, problem solving, speech perception, and psycholinguistics.
PSY-P 564Psychophysics: Classical and modern methods for investigation of sensory-perceptual processes. Application of signal detectability theory to psychophysics; emphasis on current research on detection and recognition of auditory signals in noise.
PSY-P 651Perception/Action: Coverage includes event perception, optical flow analysis (aperture problem, correspondence problem, structure from motion, sensory psychophysics, contact with machine vision), problems in motor coordination and control (motor equivalence, degrees of freedom problem, contact with physiology of movement and robotics). Focus on the relation between perception and action..
PSY-P 658/9Mathematical Models in Psychology I / II: Intensive study of mathematical models employed in experimental psychology: learning, perception, reaction time, social processes. Emphasis on probability methods.
NEUS-N 613Neural Mechanisms of Hearing: Review of anatomy and physiology of inner ear and central auditory pathways. Special attention to current research on the neural basis of auditory discrimination.

Language departments

FRIT-F 520Advanced French Phonetics: General introduction to French phonetics and phonemics; training in the evaluation of pronunciation accuracy and the teaching of French pronunciation at the secondary school and university level; remedial practice.
FRIT-F 576Introduction to French Phonology: Study of French phonology and the phonology/morphology interface within the framework of recent linguistic models, including solutions to major descriptive problems proposed from the early twentieth century to the present.
FRIT-F 670Advanced French Phonology: Advanced phonological analysis of issues in French phonology, emphasizing recently proposed linguistic models.
HISP-S 509Spanish Phonology: Introduction to the sound system of Spanish. Various theories are presented and analyzed. Some treatment of dialectal phenomena included.
HISP-S 609Spanish Phonology II: Introduces recent developments in phonological theory and their application to Spanish, as well as non-derivational approaches. Focuses mainly on nonlinear analyses.
GER-G 548German Phonetics and Phonology: Introduction to phonetics and phonology of modern German with emphasis on description, analysis, and theory. Relevance of German data to issues in phonological theory.
SLAV-L 501Structure of Russian I: Phonology and Morphology: Introduction to graduate study in Slavic linguistics. Survey of the field. Research sources. Basic concepts of diachronic linguistics. Introduction to synchronic linguistic theory: Bloomfield, Chomsky, Jakobson.
NELC-N 529Arabic Phonetics and Phonology: This course presents a systematic study of Arabic phonetics and phonology utilizing scientific phonetics, both practical and theoretical, and the phonological processes of generative phonological theory.

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Extensive websites

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Extensive websites

For more focused online resources targeting specific topics in phonetics, see the Web Portal page.

Textbook companion websites (that are useful even without the book)

Websites for educating the general public or promoting phonetics pedagogy

Pedagogical resources pooled from an entire department/program

Materials used by an individual for teaching their courses


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Books and textbooks

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Books and textbooks

The following is a listing of 80+ books on Amazon.com that deal with phonetics. For details on the inclusion/exclusion criteria behind this list, see the appendix at the end of this section.

General introductions oriented towards students in Linguistics

General introductions oriented toward students in Speech and Hearing Sciences:

Anatomy and physiology

Laryngeal phonetics / voice science

Transcription

Acoustic and auditory phonetics

Hearing:

Speech perception

Sociophonetics

Handbooks

Dictionaries

Classics

Appendix: Inclusion/exclusion criteria

  • For books with more than one edition, only the most recent edition is listed.
  • For textbooks with accompanying workbooks, only the textbook is listed.
  • Only books specifically focusing on topics of direct relevance to phonetics are listed. Thus, books on separate but related fields such as (theoretical) phonology, psychoacoustics, (general) acoustics, digital signal processing, audiology, audiometry, or otology are omitted.
  • Moreover, a book was excluded if it:
    1. is not available in print form (e.g. the only format is a CD/DVD),
    2. is written in a language other than English,
    3. focuses on mammals in general (not just humans),
    4. is restricted to one specific language (e.g. 'phonetics of Spanish'),
    5. is geared towards a narrow target audience (e.g. 'phonetics for singers' or 'phonetics for language learners'), or
    6. deals with clinical applications (disorders, pathology, rehabilitation, remediation, habituation, intervention, or therapy)
  • For other (mostly older) books not on Amazon.com (hence omitted from this list), see the bibliography here.

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Academic journals

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Academic journals


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Organizations and conferences

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Organizations and conferences

The following table lists the major scholarly organizations in phonetics along with each's associated conference and how frequently the conference takes place.

Organization Conference Frequency
Association for Laboratory Phonology (LabPhon) Laboratory Phonology Every other year
Phonology & Phonetics Programs in the Midwest (no acronym) Midphon Annually around the midwest
Acoustical Society of America (ASA), in particular
the Speech Communication Technical Committee
Acoustical Society of America Twice a year
International Phonetic Association (IPA) (none) N/A
International Society of Phonetic Sciences (ISPhS) International Congress of Phonetic Sciences Every 4 years
International Speech Communication Association (ISCA) INTERSPEECH Annual
IEEE Signal Processing Society International Conference on Acoustics,
Speech, and Signal Processing
(ICASSP)
Annual
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Multiple conferences Varies
International Association for Forensic
Phonetics and Acoustics
(IAFPA)
IAFPA Annual Conference Annual
International Clinical Phonetics
and Linguistics Association
(ICPLA)
ICPLA Biennial Symposium Every other year