About the Institute of Phonetics

The Institute of Phonetics at the Faculty of Arts is currently the only scientific department specialized in phonetics in the country, and the only department educating professionals at the bachelor, magisterial, and doctoral level.

The phonetic laboratory at the Faculty of Philosophy belongs to the oldest ones in Europe. It was founded in 1920 and soon became an important centre of phonetics in Central Europe, especially for Slavic languages. At the end of 1960s, the consequences of politically motivated restrictions became apparent, phonetics as an independent study programme was suspended, the Institute lost ist technical facilities and could not admit young specialists.

At the beginning of 1990s, the Institute of Phonetics regained its independence, as well as the possibility to hire young professionals. A linguistics and phonetics study major was opened in 1990, and an independent programme in phonetics in 2001. At the level of doctoral studies, the Institute of Phonetics trains not only its own specialists, but also for other universities within the Czech Republic.