Introducing Phonology (Cambridge Introductions to Language and Linguistics)

This accessible textbook provides a clear and practical introduction to phonology, the study of sound patterns in language. Designed for students with only a basic knowledge of linguistics, it teaches in a step-by-step fashion the logical techniques of phonological analysis and the fundamental theories that underpin it. Through over sixty graded exercises, students are encouraged to make their own analyses of phonological patterns and processes, based on extensive data and problems sets from a wide variety of languages. Introducing Phonology equips students with the essential analytical skills needed for further study in the field, such as how to think critically and discover generalizations about data, how to formulate hypotheses, and how to test them. Providing a solid foundation in both the theory and practice of phonology, it is set to become the leading text for any introductory course, and will be invaluable to all students beginning to study the discipline.