LINGUIST List 21.2543

Wed Jun 09 2010

Sum: Good Textbook for Introductory Phonology

Editor for this issue: Danielle St. Jean <daniellelinguistlist.org>


        1.    Marina Gorlach, Good Textbook for Introductory Phonology

Message 1: Good Textbook for Introductory Phonology
Date: 08-Jun-2010
From: Marina Gorlach <mgorlachhotmail.com>
Subject: Good Textbook for Introductory Phonology
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Query for this summary posted in LINGUIST Issue: 21.2337

Dear all,

I got a lot of responses to my query on a good introductory text tophonology, which I summarized and wanted to share with you, aspromised.

The list of books mentioned in your replies (in alphabetic order) is thefollowing. The numbers in parenthesis show that the same titleappeared in several e-mails:Collins, B., & Mees, I. Practical Phonetics and PhonologyDavenport & Hannahs, Introduction to Phonetics and PhonologyGoldsmith, J. (Ed.) Phonological Theory: The Essential ReadingsGussenhoven, C., & Jakobs, H. Understanding Phonology (2)Gut, U. Introduction to English Phonetics and PhonologyHayes, B. Introductory Phonology (3)Justice, P. Relevant LinguisticsMcCarthy, J. PhonologyMcMahon, A. An Introduction to English PhonologyNathan, G. Phonology: A Cognitive Grammar IntroductionOdden, D. Introducing Phonology (5)German:Féry, C. Phonologie des Deutschen: Eine optimalitätstheoretischeEinführungHall, T.A. Phonologie (2)

Some of the texts evoked conflicting opinions by different respondents- highly praised by some and perceived as imperfect by others. I lookedthem all up and ordered several examination copies, so my choice isnot finalized yet. It looks like Hayes and Odden lead, but, by someprofessors who tried them in class, they are not without their little flaws.

My major conclusion from the numbers of e-mails I received and thegenuine interest most of them expressed is that we, linguists, areteachers, and sharing our opinions on the books we use is veryimportant for linguistics as a discipline and its future.

I truly appreciate your help and feel much more confident andenthusiastic about this course. I want to express my sincere gratitudeto (in chronological order of the replies):Cathryn Donohue, Chen Weiheng, Siddharth Chakrabarti, LauraDowning, Sabina Ulsamer, Charles Marfo, Ruben Van De Vijver, Kay-Michael Wuerzner, Eva-Maria Wunder, Geoffrey Nathan, NadiaSeemungal, Martin Mangei, Michal Temkin Martinez, Rebecca Moreton(and her son Elliott), Lynn Burley (thanks for the syllabus), SeanGleason, Anne Marie Devlin.

Hope you are enjoying your summer break and are looking forward toteaching our beloved linguistics in the fall,

Marina GorlachAssociate ProfessorMetropolitan State College of Denver Linguistic Field(s): Phonology

Page Updated: 09-Jun-2010