Understanding phonology

the long version

"Assuming little or no background knowledge, and using original examples and exercises, Understanding Phonology provides an introduction to the basics and presents a comprehensive survey of phonological theory. Starting from a typological perspective, it gives students a solid understanding of the universal nature of phonological structure, while at the same time conveying a feel for the wide range of variation in the phonologies of individual languages. Using examples from a wide range of languages (including non-Indo-European ones), the book addresses subjects such as distinctive features, feature geometry, the mora, the skeletal tier, the syllable, tone, stress, the phonological word, prosodic phonology, and includes an introduction to the latest theories in phonology, notably Optimality Theory."--Jacket.