An Introduction to Phonetics with Elvish Writing (Fall 2010)

Course description

Ever wondered how speakers of foreign languages and actors that play aliens in sci-fi movies make such bizarre sounds? Want to expand your sound inventory and make some of those sounds yourself? Are you interested in learning how to decipher the flowing Elvish letters from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy? Join us for a tour of the basics of phonetics and you can learn a new alphabet on the side!

The class begins with a look at Tolkien's Tengwar, a writing system that is closely tied to the science of speech. Once you know the basic rules of the script, you can learn it in only a few hours of practice. We will then explore the full diversity of the sounds of human language, from the simple places and manners of articulation to clicks, ejectives, and more.