Project: multimedia language documentation

Phase I: Requirements Specification

The objective of the project phase of the class is

• document the elements of phonetics and phonology for your own reference,
• with systematic definitions of key terms,
• audio illustrations of examples,
• visual illustrations of examples such as
  • waveform
  • spectrum
  • pitch
  • structural diagrammes
• and a short pronouncing dictionary
• of a variety of English of your choice.

Phase II: Design specification

The design of your document should take the following points into consideration:

• the structure of the document - parts, arranged in a plausible order (reflected in the table of contents)
• the kinds of media materials will you incorporate
• what formats you need to use
• the sources of information (web, textbooks)

Some hints:

• Include a copy of the IPA
• Find illustrations of the anatomy of the articulatory organs
• Find illustrations of the anatomy of the ear
• Make `wire diagrammes' of the consonant and vowel systems
• For dialects, look for maps of the areas where they are spoken
• Search for appropriate reference book titles
• Include a glossary with definitions of technical terms

Phase III: Implementation

There are many different ways of implementing a multimedia document of this kind. For the purposes of this class, the most practicable method is to use MS-Word, making sure that you use proper document structuring devices, such as:

• Document styles (Title, Heading 1, Standard, ...). You do not have to keep the standard definitions of these styles, but you can change them to suit your own purposes.
• Document objects (bullet lists not dashes, tables not tabs, ...)

Discussion of project results

The following projects have been defined (numbered by computer workdesk):

1. Australian English
2. Australian and New Zealand English
3. Comparison of Old, Middle and Modern English
4. Difference between British and Irish English
5. Difference between British and Irish English
6. Great Vowel Shift
7. Great Vowel Shift
8. Subdivisions of Phonetics
9. Great Vowel Shift
10. Articulatory Phonetics
11. British and American English
12. -
13. The pronunciation of /w/
14. -
15. Historical Linguistics: stages of development of English also with reference to examples from French and German
16. Auditory Phonetics: the anatomy of the ear
17. History of English: African English
18. Hawaiian English
19. Scottish English
20. The anatomy and physiology of the ear