R21118: Linguistics I: the sounds of German
nicola.mclelland@nottingham.ac.uk
Consultation hour Wed. 11.3-12.30, Trent C32
Content Description: This module investigates the sounds of German and how they can be
described accurately (“phonetics and phonology”). Students will learn to transcribe German
using the notation of the International Phonetic Association, and we will look in particular at
aspects of German pronunciation that are hard to master because they are different to English
or similar to French. We will also look at how foreign words (including English words) are
integrated into the German sound system, and at regional variation in spoken German.
Practical transcription skills will form a major part of coursework, including one of the two
assignments.
Method of Assessment: practical coursework assignment (formative assessment) and a 1.5
hour exam (100%).
Each 2-hour session will divided into a more theoretical seminar and more practical work.
You will normally be asked to prepare reading for the first hour, and practical exercises for
the second hour.
R21118 The sounds of German – programme outline
Set reading is usually both from Modern German pronunciation by Hall (the set text) and
from at least one other text-book. It would be sensible to copy the relevant chapters from
Russ, Johnson, Boase-Beier & Lodge at the start of the semester, as we will be dipping into
them throughout the module. (See bibliography for full references.)
(Week 1 orientation week, no teaching)
2.10
Week 2 Introduction: what is linguistics? How can we study language? The
levels of linguistic analysis: syntax, morphology, semantics, phonetics and
phonology. Phonetics and phonology: the disciplines that look systematically
at the sounds of language
Introducing the phoneme; the notion of minimal pairs
Practical session The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) and principles of
transcription: p, t, k, b, d, g: < >, / / , [ ]
9.10
Reading for next week: Hall, chapter 2, and sections of chapter 3 (Consonants):
up to end of 3.2, and sections of chapter 4 (Vowels) up to end of 4.3.11
Week 3
How are sounds produced? The articulatory organs; manner and place of
articulation; voicing; the vowel quadrilateral; vowel quantity and quality;
Auslautverhärtung and basic phonological rules
Practical session:
Practice in transcribing stops and vowels, schwa, glottal stop
Contrasting German and English vowels
Reading for next week: Russ 1994, 122-143, Hall section 3.3, 4.3.12 to start of
4.4, and 3.7
16.10
Week 4: Phonological features
Practical session: Fricatives and affricates; the “Umlauts” and contrasts with
French and English
Reading for next week: Boase-Beier & Lodge 110-120 on syllable structure
(you may find it tough in places but do your best ....)
Hall 3.4 and 4.4 to end of chapter 4
23.10
Week 5:
Phonotactics, sonorance and the structure of the syllable
Practical class: Approximants; Nasals; Diphthongs
Reading for week 6: Hall 3.5 and 3.6 on l and r; Read all the (d) sections
(which deal with regional variation) in Hall’s account of the vowels and
consonants – pp.38, 40, 42, 47, 54, 65-66, 79, 82, 83, 85, 87, 88, , 89, 91, 92,
94, 96, 98, 100, 101, 104, 105, 106
30.10
Week 6: Allophones; social and geographical variation; Phonological
integration of loan words in German (such as Journalist, Restaurant,
Computer) – peripheral phonemes; problems for German speakers
Practical session: The liquids /l/ and /r/; transcribing loan words in German
Reading for next week: Boase-Beier & Lodge 133-140; Hall 138-146 (both on
assimilation / dissimilation); Russ 144-148
6 Nov
(Week 7: reading week)
13.11
Week 8: Connected speech: co-articulation and assimilation; Phonological
rules
Practical session: Transcribing co-articulation and assimilation
Reading for next week: Hall, chapter 5
20.11
Week 9: Intonation and stress
Practical class: Transcribing intonation patterns and marking stress
Preparation for next week: practise transcription using the given passage
27.11
Week 10: Bringing it all together: practising transcribing, syllable structure,
stress, intonation and the effects of connected speech
Preparation for next week: revision reading: Johnson 1998, chapters 4 and 5
4.12
Week 11: Practice transcription test; formative exercise due in class
Preparation for next week: revise for transcription in class; do practice exam.
11.12
Week 12: Transcription practice; revision for exam.
Assessment: 1 practical coursework assignments (formative assessment) and a 1.5 hour exam
(100%):
Coursework 1 FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT (due in class of Week 1, i.e. 4.12): Write a
one-page introduction (max 250 words, not including the bibliography) to one of the topics
listed below.
The purpose of this assignment is to give you a deeper insight to one aspect of German
phonetics / phonology, and to give you practise in researching a linguistics topic and
presenting your work to a professional standard.
 In your answer, you must refer to at least three of the works given in the bibliography,
in addition to the set text by Hall.
 One of the books you refer to must be in German. Make sure you reference
appropriately and provide a full bibliography (see separate handouts!), as 25% of the
marks will be allocated to presentation!
 This is only a short assignment, but it will take you quite a bit of time to consult the
books on the bibliography and to decide which ones have useful information on your
chosen topic. Plan time for it!
 Do not try and cover everything in 250 words – since your text is just an introduction
to the topic, restrict yourself to the most important and interesting points; your detailed
references (including page numbers) will allow the reader to follow up the topic in
more detail.
1. The allophones of r in German and in English
2. The structure of the syllable in German (why fplug and rborst are not possible German
words, but Blug and Strob are)
3. Auslautverhärtung (which explains the fact that Rad and Rat are pronounced the same)
4. Affricates pf, ts, ks – one phoneme or two?
5. ç and x – their relationship (as in ich and ach, but also Buch and Bücher)
6. Diphthongs in German and in English
7. Intonation in German and contrasts with English
Exam 100%: 1.5 hours. The exam. tests your overall knowledge of German phonetics and
phonology and your ability to identify, analyse and explain points of significance. You
will be given a passage and asked to transcribe part of it into IPA. You will also be
asked to comment on features of co-articulation, assimilation, problems for non-native
speakers, and any other points of interest. There will also be one general short-answer
question about one or more aspects of German phonetics and/or phonology.
We will prepare for the exam. with practice in Weeks 11 and 12.
R21118 Bibliography
Beedham, Christopher. 1995. German linguistics: an introduction. Munich: Iudicium. [in
short loan; also other copies]
Boase-Beier, Jean, and Lodge, Ken. 2002. The German language: a linguistic introduction.
Oxford: Blackwell. [in short loan]
Fromkin, Victoria A. ed. 2000. Linguistics. An Introduction to Linguistic Theory. Oxford:
Blackwell.
Hakkarainen, H.J. 1995. Phonetik des Deutschen. Munich: UTB Fink. [short loan]
Hall, Christopher. 2003. Modern German Pronunciation. Manchester: Manchester University
Press. SET TEXT [short loan]
Hudson, Grover. 1999. Essential Introductory Linguistics. Oxford: Blackwell.
Johnson, Sally. 1998. Exploring the German language. London: Hodder Arnold. [short loan]
Linke, Angelika, Nussbaumer, Markus, and Portmann, Paul R. 1994 (2nd edition).
Studienbuch Linguistik: Reihe Germanistische Linguistik121. Tübingen: Niemeyer.
Ramers, Karl-Heinz, and Vater, Heinz. 1995. Einführung in die Phonologie: Kölner
Linguistische Arbeiten - Germanistik 16. Hürth: Gabel Verlag.
Ramers, Karl-Heinz. 1998. Einführung in die Phonologie. Munich: Fink.
Russ, Charles V. 1994. The German language today: a linguistic introduction. London:
Routledge. [short loan; also e-book]