A Course in Phonology presupposes no prior knowledge of phonology or phonetics, and takes the learner step by step through the various stages and areas of the discipline without sacrificing rigour or breadth of coverage. The book's extraordinary clarity makes it readily understandable by anyone with a keen interest in phonology. The book reviews all the major advances that have taken place in generative phonology over the past thirty years, including Optimality Theory. Its many pedagogical features encourage interaction with the reader, and include a wealth of check-points, chapter previews and summaries, lists of key points, and exercises for further practice.