An introduction to phonetics and phonology is part of the Blackwell Textbooks in Linguistics series. The textbook originally appeared in 1990, and was first revised in 1995. For the current edition, a third author, Janet Fletcher, joins the authors of the previous two, John Clark and Colin Yallop. Compared to the second edition (1995), the basic structure has remained intact: there are eleven chapters, two appendices, and a variety of front and end matter. In what follows, I summarize the current edition by chapter and evaluate it, with emphasis on key updates.
Each chapter (excluding Chapter 1) begins with an overview and a list of key points. Topics are separated by section. Some chapters (e.g. Chapters 8 and 11) contain a ‘Conclusion’ section, in which final reflections on the subject matter are offered. The final section of each chapter includes useful exercises that require the student to check comprehension, answer questions, and complete practice exercises.
Chapter 1 is an introduction to the field of phonetics and phonology. The authors quickly discuss what each chapter includes and then offer an intriguing discussion of the layout of the text, which begins by stating that ‘[t]he organization of the book is somewhat unusual, and is deliberately intended to blur some of the boundaries that are often inflicted on phonetics and phonology’ (p. 8). The text indeed distinguishes itself from the more traditional organization, as chapters are not divided into units nor separated in the table of contents by field (i.e. phonetics or phonology).
Chapter 2 treats segmental articulation and includes such topics as the organs of speech, modes of phonation, vocalic and consonantal sounds, vocal tract place, and manner of articulation. The authors include discussion of phoneticians' differing views on place of articulation (e.g. the alveolar, postalveolar, and palatal regions) and manner of articulation (e.g. a ‘flap’ vs. a ‘tap’).
Chapter 3 considers units of speech. It begins by discussing what constitutes a unit of speech and a large portion of the chapter is dedicated to discussing complex articulations (e.g. palatalization). It also includes the topics of syllabicity, segmentation and structure, and diphthongs. The chapter ends with a section aptly entitled ‘Interpretations’ that discusses previous attempts at resolving questions such as whether or not a stop and a fricative constitute a single element in an affricate (e.g. [tʃ]).
Chapter 4 treats the phonemic organization of speech with predictable discussion of the phoneme, allophone, and related topics such as free variation. The chapter ends with a section entitled ‘The sounds of the world's languages’, a six-page, rather dense read which seems to interrupt the flow of the chapter. This section might be better suited as a separate, expanded chapter.
Chapter 5 considers the generative approach to phonological theory. The authors begin by discussing its origins and guide us through basic rule notation and rule order. The chapter concludes with an interesting discussion of ‘Naturalness and markedness’ (Section 5.8) and ‘Abstractness’ (Section 5.9). The authors end by reflecting on generative phonology's lasting impact on the field, which is due in part to its insistence on formalism and explicitness.
Chapter 6 is an extensive and very detailed look into the anatomy and physiology of speech production. The chapter includes separate sections on the nervous and respiratory systems, along with sections on specific areas of the vocal tract (e.g. the larynx). In addition, it contains a section devoted exclusively to phonation. Topics are covered in quite minute detail, which is perhaps more appropriate for a specialist in the field than a beginning linguistics student.
Chapter 7 examines the acoustics of speech production and treats the nature of sound and sound waves, examines how acoustics is used to analyze speech, and ends with discussion of spectrographic analyses. The chapter is quite lengthy – almost one hundred pages and thus approximately one-fifth of the entire volume. At first blush, this may seem excessive, but it is due to the ample use and clear discussion of figures. Sections on the acoustic properties of vowel quality and consonants are particularly superior.
Chapter 8 is on speech perception. Among other topics, it describes the auditory system and acoustic-phonetic perception, and explains vowel and consonant perception in remarkable detail. A section on different models of speech perception is followed by a conclusion that insightfully discusses why there is a lack of unified understanding of perceptual processes.
Chapter 9 considers prosody. Pitch, duration, and loudness are treated in concise detail, along with the organization of prosody. Separate sections also treat tone languages, pitch-accent languages, stress assignment, and stress and intonation specifically in English. The chapter ends with a separate section on the autosegmental-functional framework.
Chapter 10 deals with feature systems and serves as a logical precursor to the following chapter, which gives the history of phonetic and phonological study. The inclusion of a separate chapter solely for feature systems greatly adds to the merit of the text. From acoustic, articulatory, and perceptual features, to distinctive features and feature geometry, the authors clarify an area that often confuses students.
Chapter 11 concludes the text by giving a diachronic overview of the theoretical development of phonetic and phonological research. Both pre- and post-20th century approaches are considered, with the latter in a section of their own. The chapter contains nineteen sections and offers a diachronic overview of theoretical approaches in approximately forty pages; many are covered in one or two pages. The authors might consider expanding Chapter 11 by offering more examples and illustrations for each particular approach. A future edition might also include a separate section on a gestural approach, namely Articulatory Phonology (see e.g. Browman & Goldstein Reference Browman and Goldstein1992, Gafos et al. in press), which is currently omitted.
The current edition attempts to bring the reader up-to-date in all areas of the field. In particular, I note that the chapter on prosody (Chapter 9) has been expanded to include a section (Section 9.9, ‘Tone and break indices’) that treats autosegmental-metrical models of intonation. In the chapter on theoretical development (Chapter 11), two sections have been added (Section 11.16, ‘Optimality Theory’, and Section 11.17, ‘Prosodic Phonology’), which updates the picture of the field. In addition, there is extensive revision of the chapter on speech perception (Chapter 8).
A key update is the vast improvement of many figures, especially those illustrating spectrographic analyses and waveforms. Besides improved visibility, figures often contain more detail than their counterparts in the previous edition, which I found to greatly improve comprehension. For example, Figure 7.14.4, ‘Spectrograms illustrating nasal consonants in timer, finer, and singer’, not only offers a much improved spectrogram, but now includes duration information, segment boundary marks, and a waveform.
The real strength of the current edition is the improved ‘Exercises’ section at the end of each chapter. Revisions are often quite extensive: in some chapters, the exercises section has been expanded (e.g. Chapters 1 and 3), in others, it has been condensed (e.g. Chapters 6 and 7). The end result is a collection of exercises that I found to be engaging, thought-provoking, and one that generates much discussion in the classroom. Given the number of improvements in this area of the textbook, I admit that I am a bit surprised that this was not specifically mentioned either in the preface or on the back cover of the textbook.
Since the publication of the current edition of this textbook in 2007, another textbook has emerged that also provides an introduction to both phonetics and phonology. Jacqueline Bauman-Waengler's Introduction to phonetics and phonology: From concepts to transcription was published in 2008 and is a viable alternative. It is a capable textbook that emphasizes practice (it is accompanied by a workbook) a bit more than its counterpart. That withstanding, the textbook under review is remarkably thorough, extensive, and well-written. It excels in many ways, though I draw attention to three, due to space constraints.
First, the authors succeed in writing a textbook that is just as highly valuable for the specialist in the field, as it is for the beginning linguistics student. The vocabulary is quite technical, yet the writing is exceptionally clear, concise, and requires no previous knowledge in the field (with the aforementioned possible exception of Chapter 6). Second, the research and bibliography are indeed outstanding. Previous studies are not only mentioned but explained in great detail, often including both the author's school of inquiry and perspective on the particular topic. Third, in what is probably the text's greatest strength, the authors offer thought-provoking discussion of, and present different points of view on, topics that are often regarded as ‘well-established facts’ in the field. As such, the text not only guides a student through all of the core areas of phonetics and phonology, but also points out debated issues and alternate points of view, and suggests reading for future investigation.
