VOICE AND DICTION

Voice and Diction SPH 2251

Links:

Troy State University

Department of Speech and Theatre

Dr. Dye's    Spectrum Homepage

SYLLABUS AND COURSE HANDOUTS

K.       Course Description: Individual and group practice in the skillful and effective control of the mechanics of oral delivery in American English.  Emphasis on Standard
American English or the Professional Dialect through a study of the International
Phonetic Alphabet.

        
Course Objectives:  Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to
do the following at an adequate level of proficiency:

1. Demonstrate the use of a “professional” dialect or General American
   dialect in selected oral exercises.
    

2. Identify the organs of speech and their functions.
    

3. Describe the speech production process.
    

4. Analyze speech pronunciation in relation to various factors (dialects, accents,
   vowel and consonant sounds, diphthongs).
    

5. Demonstrate an understanding of the articulation process.
    

6. Analyze the ways in which various vocal traits (resonance, volume and
   projections, pitch and inflection, rate of speech, variation) affect speech production
    

7. Correctly pronounce commonly mispronounced words.
    

8. Identify standards of pronunciation, reflected in appropriate use of the International
   Phonetic Alphabet.
    

9. Identify common articulation disorders (i.e. additions, omissions,
   distortions,  substitutions).
    

10. Sight read selected materials with appropriate pronunciation, volume, vocal quality, inflection, rate, and pitch.

L.         Text(s):

• An Introduction to General American Phonetics
  by Charles G. Van Riper and Dorothy E. Smith
   

• The Phonetic Alphabet
   by Francis A. Cartier and Martin T. Todaro
   

• A Pronouncing Dictionary of American English by John S. Kenyon and Thomas A. Knott

M.        Other Materials:

             None

N.    Grading Methods and Weights of the Criteria (including make-up examination policy): The letter grade for the course will be based upon the accumulation of points for completing the Course Requirements, to wit:

Evaluation: Individual grades of A (90-100), B (80-89), C (70-79), D (60-69), and F (below 60) will be based on the following:

1.         Chapter tests (100 points each)— 

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5 (Part 1)
Chapter 5 (Part 2)
Chapter 6
Chapter 7 (Part 1)
Chapter 7 (Part 2)

2.         IPA Dictation tests (100 points each)                  

Dictation Test #1
Dictation Test #2
Dictation Test #3
Dictation Test #4
Dictation Test #5
Dictation Test #6
Dictation Test #7

3.         Oral delivery of Shakespearean Sonnet (assigned) (100 points)

4.         Mock (Professional Dialect) Convention participation (100 points)

5.         Play response (evaluation of Professional Dialect) (100 points)

6.         Attendance (100 points)

0 Absences (100 points)
1 Absence (90 points)
2 Absences (80 points)
3 Absences (70 points)
4 Absences (60 points)
5 Absences (50 points)
6 or more Absences (0 points)

7.         Final Examination (200 points)

All grades will be averaged to determine the final course grade. 

Make-Up Work Policy:

Late assignments will not be accepted without appropriate documentation for an excused absence.  Make-up work following an excused absence must be completed within one week of the initial absence, if credit is to be earned.

O.  Class Procedure (e.g., lecture, laboratory, lecture/discussion, etc.) and Course Requirements:

1.      Class Procedure:  Lecture/demonstration followed by student discussion/demonstration/transcription.

If students are to develop proficiency in the Professional Dialect, a
mastery of the International Phonetic Alphabet is necessary.  This mastery
will come from a daily application of sound transcription, completion of
exercises demonstrating mastery of sound concept, and feedback from
oral assignments.

2.      Course requirements:

a. Attend class regularly.  This is a performance course and attendance is exceptionally important!

b. Participate in group and individual exercises.

c. Prepare a 5-minute videotape reflecting the professional dialect as used by a professional communicator.

d. Read selected materials orally for evaluation based upon the General American dialect.

e. Read text and related materials, submit chapter tests found in text.

f. Complete daily transcription assignments using IPA symbols.

g. Recite Shakespearean Sonnet (assigned number).

h. Participate in mock convention using Professional Dialect.

i.  Prepare a paragraph using a repeated target IPA sound.

j. Attend fine arts performances (submit an evaluation of a selected theatre production targeting the Professional  Dialect).

Other Requirements and / or “Extra-credit” Activities

• Professional attire for informative and persuasive speeches. Dress as though you are on a professional job interview. However, acceptable attire includes “business” casual.  No tennis shoes, flip-flops, shorts, blue jeans, blue jean skirts, T-shirts, sweat shirts, hats, sun glasses or mini skirts (skirts more than 1 inch above the knee). If possible, body tattoos and piercings should be concealed. Violators will be penalized a letter grade. Students who can’t comply with the dress code must make arrangements with the instructor prior to the speech date.

• Cellular Telephone Policy:  Please turn cellular phones off during class time. Violators will be penalized 10 points during lecture class dates and a letter grade during speech dates.

• Assignments in connection with required attendance at specified TSU cultural events.

• Additional out-of-class speech outlines using the traditional format.

P.     General Support (i.e. Computer Works, Writing Center, Tutorial Lab, etc):

• Computer Works, McCartha Hall, ext. 3413

• Writing Center, Wright Hall, ext. 3305

• Counseling and Wellness Services, Adams Center, ext. 3221

Q.        Daily Assignments indicating deadline for adding or dropping a course, holidays, etc.:

            1          Orientation, Basic Principles (chapter 1); exercises--individual and
group work; International Phonetic Alphabet;
General American dialect/professional dialect.

            2          The Phonetic Alphabet as a Tool (Submit examination from page 6 of
                        Van Riper/Smith text)

            3          The “Key” to the Phonetic Alphabet (consonants, vowels, diphthongs)

4                     The Sounds of American English (Submit examination from pps. 23/24
of Van Riper/Smith text)

            5          The Vowel Sounds found in “meet,” “fit,”  “get,” and “sat”

            6          Dictation test #1 (Recitation and Review)

            7          Chapter 3, The International Alphabet (Submit examination found on
pps. 37-41)

8                     Introduction to vowel sounds found in “calm,” “raw,” put,” and “food”;
oral exercise of targeted sounds (Exercise #11 of Cartier/Todaro text)

9                     Introduction to vowel sounds found in “cut” (exercise 14) and “above”

            (exercise 15); oral exercise of targeted sounds (Exercise #16 in

            Cartier/Todaro text); dictation test #2

10                 The Familiar Consonantal Symbols b, m, f, t, d, n, p, v, g, k, w, h, s,
z, l, r (Submit examination found on pps. 51-52, chpt. 4 in
Van Riper Smith text)

11                 Evaluation of model speakers (Bring to class video tape of no more
than 3 minutes of a model oral communicator who uses the
Professional Dialect)

12                 Practice dictation test/review

13         Dictation Test #3

            14         “American Tongues” video

15                 Some Vowels, chpt. 5; (Submit examination found on p. 72 of
Van Riper/Smith)

16                 Introduction to vowel sounds [o] and [e] with little or no diphthongization

            and with diphthongization; Dictation review

17                 Submit examination found on pps. 85-86 of Van Riper/Smith text

            (Use a separate page for question 6, writing out in columns
            the English words for each combination of vowels.

18                 Introduction to IPA diphthongs found in “boy” (exercise 21), “allow”

(exercise 22), and “mice” (exercise 23); Review with transcription

19                 Sonnet assignments/preliminary work; Hamlet’s “Advise to the Players”;

Dictation test #4

20                 Professional Dialect Drill introduction

21                 Professional Dialect Drill continuation

22                 Introduction to IPA sounds of “th” voice and unvoiced; the unstressed “er”

and the stressed “er”

23                 The Unfamiliar Consonantal Symbols (submit examination from pps.

115-116); Introduction to IPA symbols in exercises 31, 32, 33, and 34;

Read aloud exercise 35

24                 Dictation Test #5, Mock Convention Assignments

25                 Sonnet delivery using Professional Dialect; More Vowels and
Diphthongs, chpt. 7; (submit examination found on pps. 133-134)

26                 Introduction to exercises 36, 37, 38, 50, 41, 42, and 45

27                 Sonnet delivery continued; Dictation Test #6

28                 Submit examination found on p. 143; Mock convention rehearsal

29                 Professional Dialect Drill review with transcription;
oral reading of IPA symbols;

Storytelling using IPA symbols as basis of word creation

30                 Mock Convention

31         Review for final examination, Dictation Test #7

*Note: Schedule subject to change at professor’s discretion.

Final:   

• Class Time:                   Date:                                        Exam Time:

• 11:30-12:45                      December 10                           12:00--2:00 PM

Special Dates:

• August 26—Last day to add a course

• September 1-Holiday

• October 17—Last day to Drop a course and/or withdraw without academic penalty.

• November 11--Holiday

• November 25--No Classes after 11:15 AM

• November 26-30--Thanksgiving Holidays

• December 4—Classes end

• December 5—Dead Day

________________________________________________________________________

R.  Additional Services-The required Americans and Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement and other appropriate statements:

• AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT:   Any student whose disabilities fall within ADA must inform the instructor at the beginning of the term of any special needs or equipment necessary to accomplish the requirements for this course.

• ADDITIONAL SERVICES:    Students who have or may be dealing with a disability or learning difficulty should speak with the instructor, the office of adaptive needs program or call (670-3220/3221).  Various accommodations are available through the adaptive needs program.

• ASSESSMENT STATEMENT:  Students must earn a letter grade of C or better in order to earn State Department of Ed. Credit.

S.  Absence Policy:

Students are expected to be in class each meeting.  The student is also expected to be on time.  Roll will be taken only at the beginning of the class period.  The student is expected to be present for each examination.  Without a written medical excuse, verified family emergency or official university excuse, the student cannot make up examinations.  Following an excused absence, the student is expected to complete the necessary work within one week of the absence if credit is to be earned.

T.  Incomplete work policy: 

An incomplete grade will be given only under extenuating circumstances (death in family or major medical emergency) and when the student has made sufficient progress in meeting the minimum requirements of the course for a grade of C or better.  A contract specifying the kinds and nature of the work to be completed with due dates will be signed by both the student and the instructor before an incomplete grade will be given.
 

U.  Cheating Policy:  Students are held to the code of conduct outlined in the ORACLE.

V.  Other pertinent information relating to specialization requirements (e.g. certification or licensure, teacher competencies, etc.):

N/A

ASSESSMENT STATEMENT:

Students must earn a letter grade of C or better in order to earn State Department
of Education credit for teacher certification.

Target Professional Dialect words

PROFESSIONAL DIALECT DRILL

Three mischievous Italian guests from Lughnasa performed an obligatory short-lived

Mozart sonata, including the controversial asterisks, et cetera.  They couldn’t escape

 Mrs.  Oil, who had studied with Diaghilev and Wagner, unless they wanted to imperil

 the detente of the futile fungi anesthetist.  With their accessories, the persona non

 grata and the pugilist recluse recognized their grievous gaffe with the amicable and

 affluent Tchaikovsky whose forte was succinct pantomime.  They whirled the dais,

 much to the chagrin of the Massachusetts ghoul who was eating root shish kebab. 

 A ubiquitous placebo made her malinger in absentia as the avant-garde ascetic drove

 the vehicle into the rear of the chiropodist, an enemy of the drowned satyr.  Any

 specific gesture often created a genuine response from the rural juvenile.  The

 formidable cavalry overcame the tumult of the duke of news and took a respite after

 recognizing the bourgeois hoi polloi reciting the Psalm found in the accompanist’s

 ambidextrous loge.  This may sound wooden, but the unsoiled Angus heifer lacked

 the sachet of the titular sheik.  With sagacious equanimity, the Medieval monk found

 that the length of time the realtor showed the facade discouraged the hyperbole.  Our

 university often formulates theories stimulating men to think of studying history,

 literature, statistics, adjectives, sentences, diphthongs, giblets, detergents, and

 Renaissance theatres.  Use your larynx as your coup de grace while reading the

 arctic geyser poem, a voluminous prestige piece whose pages can be whirled past

 the propitiate sadist.  After reading this I think I need a chic draught.

Sonnet 138

William Shakespeare

When my love swears that she is made of truth,

I do believe her, though I know she lies,

That she might think me some untutor’d youth,

Unlearned in the world’s false subtleties.

Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,

Although she knows my days are past the best,

Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue.

But wherefore says she not she is unjust?

On both sides thus is simple truth suppress’d.

And wherefore say not I that I am old?

O, love’s best habit is in seeming trust,

And age in love loves not to have years told.

                Therefore I lie with her and she with me,

                And in our faults by lies we flatter’d be.

SIGHT READING—Oral Interpretation

 We polish the Polish furniture.

 He could lead if he would get the lead out.

 A farm can produce produce.

 The dump was so full it had to refuse refuse.

 The soldier decided to desert in the desert.

 The present is a good time to present the present.

 At the Army base, a bass was painted on the head of a bass drum.

 The dove dove into the bushes.

 I did not object to the object.

 The insurance for the invalid was invalid.

 The bandage was wound around the wound.

 There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

 They were too close to the door to close it.

 The buck does funny things when the does are present.

 They sent a sewer down to stitch the tear in the sewer line.

 To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

 The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

 After a number of Novocain injections, my jaw got number.

 I shed a tear when I saw the tear in my clothes.

 I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

 How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

TONGUE TWISTERS

1.         Two tooters who tooted a flute tried to tutor two tooters to toot.
            "Is it harder to toot said the two to the tutors,
            or to tutor two tooters to toot?"

2.         Should a shad, shelling shrimps for a shark, cease to shuck

            the shamed shrimps who remark, "Serve us not without dressing! 

            'Tis really distressing," or should he shuck shrimps in the dark?

3.         Round and round the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran.

4.         Eat fresh fried fish free at the fish fry.

5.         Of all the saws I ever saw, I never saw a saw saw like that saw saws.

6.         Tongue twisters twist tongues twisted trying to untangle twisted tangles:

My tang's tungled now.

7.         Rubber baby buggy bumpers.

8.         Lemon liniment.

9.         Six thick thistle sticks.

10.        "Go my son and shut the shutter."  This I heard a mother utter.

 "Shutter's shut," the boy did mutter, "I can't shut'er any shutter."

11.        Cross crossings cautiously.

12.        Peter Prangle

                        The prickly, prangly pear picker

                        Picked three pecks

                        of prangly, prickly pears

                        From the prickly, prangly pear trees

                        On the pleasant prairies.

13.        I saw Esau kissing Kate.

                        Fact is we all three saw.

                        I saw Esau, he saw me

                        And she saw I saw Esau.

14.        A skunk sat on a stump.

                        The stump thunk the skunk

                        stunk!  The skunk thunk

                        the stump stunk.

15.        Each sixth chick sat on a stick.

INFORMATION FORM

To be completed at the beginning of the class period.

Name                                                                       (Circle name you want to be called)

Local Address                                               

Telephone______________________________                    

E-mail_________________________________

Home Address                                                       

Telephone______________________________

Major (if any)                                                   

Minor (if any)_____________________________

Vocational Goal________________________________________________

Class/Year at TSU ________________________________

Attendance Record:

Last Updated: 06/03/03 04:10:07 PM