In the Listening to English half of class, we will listen to a number of standard English accents from American and British speakers. Texts come from a range of sources including interviews, podcasts and books. Emphasis will be on recognizing common features of spoken English, including linking and intonation patterns. We will also discuss compensatory strategies that can be used when unknown vocabulary appears or when listening conditions are not optimal. Students are encouraged to keep a "Listening Log" to track their progress in understanding spoken English.
In the American Pronunciation half, we will work on practical aspects of pronouncing American English. This tutorial is linked to the Vorlesung English Phonetics and Phonology. Here we will put theory into practice. There is a particular focus on the segmental features of English, especially sounds which are particularly difficult for German native speakers. We will also work on reading phonemically transcribed English texts.
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