Sounds of Spanish

Course description

This course offers an introduction to the Spanish sound system, with the goal of building a strong foundation in phonological analysis. We will begin with a review of the articulatory system, key concepts in phonological theory, and the general structure of sound systems. From there, we will explore the descriptive properties of Spanish sounds—including consonants, vowels, syllables, stress, and intonation—as well as the phonological processes that shape them. Special attention will be given to dialectal variation across the Spanish-speaking world and to pronunciation.

Learning goals

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Explain key concepts in phonetics and phonology as they relate to Spanish
• Analyze patterns of phonetic and phonological variation across Spanish dialects
• Evaluate and improve their own Spanish pronunciation using linguistic tools and concepts

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Describe the articulatory mechanisms involved in Spanish speech sounds.
• Explain foundational concepts in phonological theory and apply them to Spanish.
• Analyze the phonological structure of Spanish, including its segmental (consonants, vowels) and suprasegmental (syllables, stress, intonation) features.
• Identify and compare key dialectal differences in the Spanish sound system.
• Transcribe Spanish speech using appropriate phonetic notation (IPA).
• Assess and improve their own Spanish pronunciation using phonetic and phonological insights.
• Synthesize course concepts in written and oral assignments, including a critical review of scholarly work.

Sample materials

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