EDO UNIVERSITY, IYAMHO

EDO STATE, NIGERIA

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
2016/2017 FIRST SEMESTER EXAMINATION

MARKING SCHEME

Course Code: ENG 212

Course Title: ENGLISH PHONETICS AND PHONOLOGY III

INSTRUCTION: Answer question one (1) and any other three (3) questions. Marks
would be awarded for clarityof expression and organisation of ideas.
Time: 3 hours

1. Transcribe the following phonemically and phonetically.

When I got to the potter’s lodge, I was met by the most incredible sight. There was
my mother and siblings shouting ‘’happy birthday!’’. Then I woke up. It was two
o’clock in the morning of the first day of April. ‘’April fool!’’, I muttered, and
laughed myself back to sleep. (25
Marks)
Students are to do a phonemic and phonetic transcription of the passage.
The total marks to be awarded for the phonetic transcription of the passage is 15,
while the phonemic transcription carries 10 marks. For the phonemic transcription,
attention should be given to correct transcription of strong forms and weak forms.
For phonetic transcription, emphasis in the award of marks should be given to correct
identification of secondary articulation features.Based on the marker’s discretion,
marks could be awarded along the following lines.
i. Phonemic Transcription
a. Excellent: 8 - 10 marks
b. Good: 5½-7½
c. Average: 4- 5
d. Poor: 1- 3 ½
ii. Phonetic Transcription
a. Excellent: 12- 15 marks
b. Good: 9 ½ - 11 ½
 c. Average: 7 ½ - 9
d. Below Average: 5- 7
e. Poor: 1–4½
2. Write extensively on any two of the following.
a. Stress
b. Syllable
c. Intonation (15 Marks)

Students are to write extensively on any two of the topics listed. Total marks for each
topic is 7 ½ marks. Students who cite relevant and copious examples should be
awarded additional marks. The discretion of the marker is important here in
awarding marks along the following lines.

i. Excellent: 6 – 7 ½
ii. Good: 4 ½ - 5 ½
iii. Average: 3 – 4
iv. Poor: 1-2
3. a. What are distinctive features?
b. Discuss briefly any two distinctive features class division you know. (15 Marks)

A robust discussion of distinctive features carries 5 marks. Marks should be awarded

along the following lines.

i. Excellent: 4- 5 marks
ii. Good: 3-4
iii. Average: 2 ½ -3
iv. Poor: 1-2

In the discussion of distinctive class features, 7 ½ marks is awarded for each

distinctive class feature that is discussed. Marks should be graded along the following
lines.

i. Excellent: 6 – 7 ½
ii. Good: 4 ½ - 5 ½
iii. Average: 3 ½ - 4
iv. Poor: 1- 3
4. a. What are phonemes and allophones? (7 marks)
 A phoneme is a distinctive sound segment. Allophones are variations of a phoneme.
A full discussion of the phoneme would attract 7 marks. Marks would be graded using
the following parameters.
i. Excellent: 6 – 7 marks
ii. Good: 4 ½ - 5 ½
iii. Average: 3-4
iv. Poor: 1-3
b. Discuss exhaustively the perception of the phoneme as a phonetic reality. (8
marks)
This question carries 8 marks. The following is the mark distribution.
i. Excellent: 6 ½ - 8 marks
ii. Good: 5 – 6
iii. Average: 3 – 4 ½
iv. Poor: 1-3
5. a. Distinguish between narrow and broad transcription. (7 marks)
Students are expected to define each of the terms before giving a distinction between
each of them. Examples should fetch students more marks. Marks should be
distributed as follows.
Excellent: 6 – 7 marks
Good: 4 – 5 ½
Average: 2 ½ - 3 ½
Poor: 1 - 2
b. Discuss briefly the IPA. (8 marks)
IPA is an acronym for International Phonetic Association and International Phonetic
Alphabet. Students are expected to discuss the origin and tenets of IPA. Mark
distribution includes:
Excellent: 6 – 8
Good: 4- 5 ½
Average: 3
Poor: 1-2
6. a. What are secondary articulatory features? (5 marks)
Mark distribution includes:
Excellent: 4 – 5
Good: 2 ½ - 3 ½
Average: 2
Poor: 1

b With copious examples, discuss any four of the following secondary

articulatory features.
i. Aspiration ii. Labialisation iii. Palatalisation iv. Syllabification v.
Velarisation vi. Devoicing (10 marks)
Each secondary articulatory feature will attract 2 marks. Copious examples must be
given for a student to score 2.