| “ | You'd be amazed at the number of times I've been with top professors in the field and I've asked them a question and they've said, 'I'm not too sure about that, let me check', and gone straight to Wikipedia. | ” |
| — Brady Haran | ||
Misconceptions
edit"The 'true' IPA is that which describes speech as closely as possible."
| “ | [I]t must remain a general principle to leave out everything self-evident, and everything that can be explained once for all. This allows us to dispense almost completely with the modifiers, and with a good many other signs, except in scientific works and in introductory explanations. We write English fill and French fil the same way fil; yet the English vowel is 'wide' and the French 'narrow', and the English l is formed much further back than the French. If we wanted to mark these differences, we should write English fìl⊣, French fíl⊢. But we need not do so: we know, once for all, that English short i is always ì, and French i always í; that English l is always l⊣ and French l always l⊢. | ” |
| — Aim and Principles of the International Phonetic Association (1904), p. 10 | ||
"There are only two kinds of phonetic transcription: broad (phonemic) and narrow (allophonic)."
| “ | If the relevant phonological system is known, a transcription can be devised which includes any number of additional symbols to indicate the phonetic realizations of the phonemes. ... Narrowness is regarded as a continuum, so that [tʃɛkðəlɛnzwɛɫ] might be regarded as a slightly narrow (or 'narrowed') transcription, and [tʃe̞ʔ͡kð̞əlɛ̃nzwæ̠ɫ] as very narrow ... the realizational information which is not explicit in a particular allophonic transcription is, in principle, provided by conventions. | ” |
| — Handbook of the International Phonetic Association (1999), pp. 29–30 | ||
"The International Phonetic Alphabet is, at its core, a phonetic alphabet."
| “ | 1. There should be a separate sign for each distinctive sound; that is, for each sound which, being used instead of another, in the same language, can change the meaning of a word.
2. When any sound is found in several languages, the same sign should be used in all. This applies also to very similar shades of sound. |
” |
| — Text introducing the very first version of the International Phonetic Alphabet (1888) | ||
| “ | The IPA is designed to be a set of symbols for representing all the possible sounds of the world's languages. The representation of these sounds uses a set of phonetic categories which describe how each sound is made. These categories define a number of natural classes of sounds that operate in phonological rules and historical sound changes. The symbols of the IPA are shorthand ways of indicating certain intersections of these categories. Thus [p] is a shorthand way of designating the intersection of the categories voiceless, bilabial, and plosive; [m] is the intersection of the categories voiced, bilabial, and nasal; and so on. The sounds that are represented by the symbols are primarily those that serve to distinguish one word from another in a language. | ” |
| — "The Principles of the International Phonetic Association" (1989) | ||
"There is 'the IPA for [a language]'."
| “ | There can be many systems of phonemic transcription for the same variety of a language, all of which conform fully to the principles of the IPA. ... In English, for example, the contrast between the words bead and bid has phonetic correlates in both vowel quality and vowel duration. A phonemic representation which explicitly notes this might use the symbols /iː/ and /ɪ/ ... But it is equally possible unambiguously to represent these phonemes as /iː/ and /i/ ..., or as /i/ and /ɪ/ ... All three pairs of symbols are in accord with the principles of the IPA ... The IPA does not provide a phonological analysis for a particular language, let alone a single 'correct' transcription, but rather the resources to express any analysis so that it is widely understood. | ” |
| — Handbook of the International Phonetic Association (1999), p. 30 | ||
"There is one correct way to syllabify English words."
| “ | ˈkʌs.təm | ” |
| — Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary | ||
| “ | ˈkʌst əm | ” |
| — Longman Pronunciation Dictionary | ||
| “ | \ˈkə-stəm\ | ” |
| — Merriam-Webster.com | ||
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Pronunciation sources
editDictionaries
- Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (authoritative)
- Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (authoritative)
- The Oxford/Routledge Dictionary of Pronunciation for Current English (generally reliable but these may help)
- Oxford BBC Guide to Pronunciation
- OneLook (powerful meta search—but not for new words)
- A Pronouncing Dictionary of American English (1944; authoritative but outdated)
- Merriam-Webster (most reliable, comprehensive and up-to-date for AmE; direct descendant of Kenyon & Knott; see Wells 12 Oct '06 for how they compile pronunciations)
- The Free Dictionary (a good deal of specialized [especially medical] dictionaries)
- OED/Australian/Canadian/New Zealand Oxford Dictionary (pronunciations are free)
Video transcripts
Generally reliable
- Say How?
- The ABC Book
- Voice of America Pronunciation Guide
- ABC Pronounce (some respellings appear inconsistent)
- TeachingBooks Author & Illustrator Pronunciation Guide
- BBC Pronunciation Unit blog
Not citable but potentially useful
- Forvo
- Behind the Name
- Forebears (for guessing name origins)
- The Name Engine
- NameShouts
Weirdly prescriptive and often inaccurate
User-generated junk
- Howjsay, Inogolo, Pronounce Names
"my name is ...","i'm ...","..." "pronounced","..." "rhymes with", etc.
Search within Wikipedia
insource:"IPA xx" intitle:...
Specialties
Places
- A Guide to the Pronunciation of Canadian Place Names (1959 [1938])
- Georgia Place-Names (1999 [1975])
- Idaho Pronunciation Guide
- Illinois Pronunciation Guide
- Pronouncing Iowa Place Names: An Audio Guide
- Michigan.gov Pronunciation Guide
- A Pronunciation Guide to places in Ohio
- Texas Almanac Pronunciation Guide
- Washington Names: A Pronunciation Guide of Washington State Place Names (1964)
- MissPronouncer: A halfway decent audio pronunciation guide for Wisconsin
- AP: Minnesota, Montana, Nebraksa, South Dakota, Washington
Non-English
- CNRTL
- Den Danske Ordbog
- DiPI
- Dizionario d'ortografia e di pronunzia
- Duden
- Igbo Names
- Irish Pronunciation Database
- Larousse
- Det Norske Akademis Ordbok
- Ordbogen.com
- Online Scots Dictionary
- Släktnamn i Norden: med uttalsuppgifter
- Svenska ortnamn med uttalsuppgifter
- Svenska språknämndens uttalsordbok
- Woorden.org
- YorubaName.com
Lots of others
The Chaos
edit"The Chaos" by Gerard Nolst Trenité:[1][2]
Dearest creature in Creation,
/ˈdɪərɪst ˈkriːtʃər ɪn kriˈeɪʃən/Studying English pronunciation,
/ˈstʌdiɪŋ ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ prəˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃən/I will teach you in my verse
/aɪ wɪl tiːtʃ juː ɪn maɪ vɜːrs/Sounds like corpse, corps, horse and worse.
/saʊndz laɪk kɔːrps kɔːr hɔːrs ən wɜːrs/It will keep you, Susy, busy,
/ɪt wɪl kiːp juː ˈsuːzi ˈbɪzi/Tear in eye your dress you'll tear.
/tɪər ɪn aɪ jʊər drɛs juːl tɛər/So shall I! Oh, hear my prayer,
/soʊ ʃəl aɪ oʊ hɪər maɪ prɛər/Pray, console your loving poet,
/preɪ kənˈsoʊl jʊər ˈlʌvɪŋ ˈpoʊɪt/Make my coat look new, dear, sew it?
/meɪk maɪ koʊt lʊk njuː dɪər soʊ ɪt/Just compare heart, beard and heard,
/dʒʌst kəmˈpɛər hɑːrt bɪərd ən hɜːrd/Dies and diet, lord and word,
/daɪz ən ˈdaɪət lɔːrd ən wɜːrd/Sword and sward, retain and Britain,
/sɔːrd ən swɔːrd rɪˈteɪn ən ˈbrɪtən/(Mind the latter, how it's written!)
/maɪnd ðə ˈlætər haʊ ɪts ˈrɪtən/Made has not the sound of bade,
/meɪd həz nɒt ðə saʊnd əv bæd/Say—said, pay—paid, laid, but plaid.
/seɪ sɛd peɪ peɪd leɪd bət plæd/Now I surely will not plague you
/naʊ aɪ ˈʃʊərli wɪl nɒt pleɪɡ juː/But be careful how you speak,
/bət biː ˈkɛərfəl haʊ juː spiːk/Say break, steak, but bleak and streak,
/seɪ breɪk steɪk bət bliːk ən striːk/Pipe, snipe, recipe and choir,
/paɪp snaɪp ˈrɛsɪpi ən kwaɪər/Cloven, oven; how and low;
/ˈkloʊvən ˈʌvən haʊ ən loʊ/Script, receipt; shoe, poem, toe,
/skrɪpt rɪˈsiːt ʃuː ˈpoʊɪm toʊ/Hear me say, devoid of trickery:
/hɪər miː seɪ dɪˈvɔɪd əv ˈtrɪkəri/Typhoid; measles, topsails, aisles;
/ˈtaɪfɔɪd ˈmiːzəlz ˈtɒpsəlz aɪlz/Wholly, holly; signal, signing;
/ˈhoʊli ˈhɒli ˈsɪɡnəl ˈsaɪnɪŋ/Thames; examining, combining;
/tɛmz ɪɡˈzæmɪnɪŋ kəmˈbaɪnɪŋ/Scholar, vicar and cigar,
/ˈskɒlər ˈvɪkər ən sɪˈɡɑːr/Solar, mica, war and far.
/ˈsoʊlər ˈmaɪkə wɔːr ən fɑːr/From "desire": desirable—admirable from "admire";
/frəm dɪˈzaɪər dɪˈzaɪərəbəl ˈædmərəbəl frəm ədˈmaɪər/Lumber, plumber; bier but brier;
/ˈlʌmbər ˈplʌmər bɪər bət braɪər/One, anemone; Balmoral;
/wʌn əˈnɛməni bælˈmɒrəl/Kitchen, lichen; laundry, laurel;
/ˈkɪtʃɪn ˈlaɪkən ˈlɔːndri ˈlɒrəl/Gertrude, German; wind and mind;
/ˈɡɜːrtruːd ˈdʒɜːrmən wɪnd ən maɪnd/Scene, Melpomene, mankind;
/siːn mɛlˈpɒmɪni mænˈkaɪnd/Reading, Reading, heathen, heather.
/ˈriːdɪŋ ˈrɛdɪŋ ˈhiːðən ˈhɛðər/Blood and flood are not like food,
/blʌd ən flʌd ɑːr nɒt laɪk fuːd/Viscous, viscount; load and broad;
/ˈvɪskəs ˈvaɪkaʊnt loʊd ən brɔːd/Toward, to forward, to reward,
/tɔːrd tə ˈfɔːrwərd tuː rɪˈwɔːrd/Rounded, wounded; grieve and sieve;
/ˈraʊndɪd ˈwuːndɪd ɡriːv ən sɪv/Friend and fiend; alive and live;
/frɛnd ən fiːnd əˈlaɪv ən lɪv/Liberty, library; heave and heaven;
/ˈlɪbərti ˈlaɪbrəri hiːv ən ˈhɛvən/We say hallowed, but allowed;
/wiː seɪ ˈhæloʊd bət əˈlaʊd/People, leopard; towed, but vowed
/ˈpiːpəl ˈlɛpərd toʊd bət vaʊd/Mark the difference, moreover,
/mɑːrk ðə ˈdɪfərəns mɔːrˈoʊvər/Between mover, plover, Dover,
/bɪˈtwiːn ˈmuːvər ˈplʌvər ˈdoʊvər/Chalice but police and lice.
/ˈtʃælɪs bət pəˈliːs ən laɪs/Principle, disciple; label;
/ˈprɪnsɪpəl dɪˈsaɪpəl ˈleɪbəl/Petal, penal and canal;
/ˈpɛtəl ˈpiːnəl ənd kəˈnæl/But it is not hard to tell,
/bət ɪt ɪz nɒt hɑːrd tə tɛl/Why it's pall, mall, but Pall Mall.
/hwaɪ ɪts pɔːl mɔːl bət pɛl mɛl/Muscle, muscular; gaol; iron;
/ˈmʌsəl ˈmʌskjʊlər dʒeɪl aɪərn/Timber, climber; bullion, lion,
/ˈtɪmbər ˈklaɪmər ˈbʊliən ˈlaɪən/Worm and storm; chaise, chaos, chair;
/wɜːrm ən stɔːrm ʃeɪz ˈkeɪɒs tʃɛər/Ivy, privy; famous, clamour
/ˈaɪvi ˈprɪvi ˈfeɪməs ˈklæmər/Pussy, hussy and possess.
/ˈpʊsi ˈhʌsi ən pəˈzɛs/Hoist, in lieu of flags, left pennants.
/hɔɪst ɪn ljuː əv flæɡz lɛft ˈpɛnənts/River, rival; tomb, bomb, comb;
/ˈrɪvər ˈraɪvəl tuːm bɒm koʊm/And then: singer, ginger, linger.
/ən ðɛn ˈsɪŋər ˈdʒɪndʒər ˈlɪŋɡər/Nor does fury sound like bury.
/nɔːr dəz ˈfjʊəri saʊnd laɪk ˈbɛri/Job, Job, blossom, bosom, oath.
/dʒɒb dʒoʊb ˈblɒsəm ˈbʊzəm oʊθ/Though the difference seems little,
/ðoʊ ðə ˈdɪfərəns siːmz ˈlɪtəl/We say actual, but victual,
/wiː seɪ ˈæktʃuəl bət ˈvɪtəl/Put, nut; granite, but unite.
/pʊt nʌt ˈɡrænɪt bət juːˈnaɪt/Hint, pint; senate, but sedate;
/hɪnt paɪnt ˈsɛnət bət sɪˈdeɪt/Scenic, Arabic, pacific;
/ˈsiːnɪk ˈærəbɪk pəˈsɪfɪk/Science, conscience, scientific;
/ˈsaɪəns ˈkɒnʃəns ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk/Tour, but our, and succour, four;
/tʊər bət aʊər ən ˈsʌkər fɔːr/Sea, idea, guinea, area,
/siː aɪˈdiːə ˈɡɪni ˈɛəriə/Psalm; Maria, but malaria;
/sɑːm məˈriːə bət məˈlɛəriə/Youth, south, southern; cleanse and clean;
/juːθ saʊθ ˈsʌðərn klɛnz ən kliːn/Doctrine, turpentine, marine.
/ˈdɒktrɪn ˈtɜːrpəntaɪn məˈriːn/Eye, I, ay, aye, whey, key, quay!
/aɪ aɪ aɪ aɪ hweɪ kiː kiː/Say aver, but ever, fever,
/seɪ əˈvɜːr bət ˈɛvər ˈfiːvər/Never guess—it is not safe;
/ˈnɛvər ɡɛs ɪt ɪz nɒt seɪf/Face but preface, but efface,
/feɪs bət ˈprɛfəs bət ɪˈfeɪs/Large, but target, gin, give, verging;
/lɑːrdʒ bət ˈtɑːrɡɪt dʒɪn ɡɪv ˈvɜːrdʒɪŋ/Ought, out, joust and scour, but scourging;
/ɔːt aʊt dʒaʊst ən skaʊər bət ˈskɜːrdʒɪŋ/Ear, but earn; and wear and tear
/ɪər bət ɜːrn ən wɛər ən tɛər/Seven is right, but so is even;
/ˈsɛvən ɪz raɪt bət soʊ ɪz ˈiːvən/Pronunciation—think of psyche!—
/prəˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃən θɪŋk əv ˈsaɪki/Is a paling, stout and spikey;
/ɪz ə ˈpeɪlɪŋ staʊt ən ˈspaɪki/Won't it make you lose your wits,
/woʊnt ɪt meɪk juː luːz jʊər wɪts/It's a dark abyss or tunnel,
/ɪts ə dɑːrk əˈbɪs ɔːr ˈtʌnəl/Islington and Isle of Wight,
/ˈɪzlɪŋtən ən aɪl əv waɪt/Housewife, verdict and indict!
/ˈhʌzɪf ˈvɜːrdɪkt ən ɪnˈdaɪt/Hiccough has the sound of "cup"......
/ˈhɪkʌp həz ðə saʊnd əv kʌp/My advice is—give it up!
/maɪ ədˈvaɪs ɪz ɡɪv ɪt ʌp/*) No, you are wrong.[58] This is the plural of "doe".
/noʊ juː ɑːr rɒŋ ðɪs ɪz ðə ˈplʊərəl əv doʊ/
- ^ As printed in Charivarius, 1922, Ruize-rijmen (Wikisource).
- ^ The stress is lexical.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o GenAm: /wɪθ/
- ^ alt. /ˈviːə/
- ^ GenAm: /ˈlæftər/
- ^ alt. /ˈɛɡzaɪlz/
- ^ alt. /ˈbruːəm/
- ^ GenAm: /ɡɔːn/
- ^ alt. /ˈtɜːrkwɔɪz, -kɔɪz/
- ^ a b c d Imperfect rhymes.
- ^ GenAm: /mɔːs/
- ^ GenAm: /bæˈleɪ/
- ^ alt. /boʊˈkeɪ, ˈbuːkeɪ/, GenAm alt. /buːˈkeɪ/
- ^ GenAm: /ʃæˈleɪ/
- ^ alt. /ˈpɑːrkeɪ, pɑːrˈkeɪ/
- ^ alt. /ˈkroʊki, kroʊˈkeɪ/
- ^ GenAm: /ˈmʌstæʃ/
- ^ alt. /ˈbriːtʃɪz/
- ^ alt. /ˈkɒnstəbəl/
- ^ alt. /ˈsɜːrmaɪz/
- ^ GenAm alt. /pleɪt/
- ^ alt. /ˈkɒndjuɪt, ˈkʌn-/
- ^ GenAm: /ˈspɛkteɪtər/
- ^ alt. /ˈmeɪər/
- ^ GenAm alt. /ˈædrɛs/
- ^ GenAm alt. /ɡɔːlf/
- ^ GenAm: /luːˈtɛnənts/
- ^ GenAm alt. /dɔːl/
- ^ a b alt. /ˈniːðər/
- ^ GenAm: /ænt/
- ^ GenAm: /wɔːnt/
- ^ GenAm: /wɔːnt/
- ^ GenAm: /ɡrænt/
- ^ The footnote is just messing with you. If does here was actually the plural of doe, it wouldn't contrast with goes.
- ^ GenAm alt. /mɔːv/
- ^ alt. /mɪˈrɑːʒ/
- ^ GenAm alt. /ˈkwɛri/
- ^ GenAm: /lɔːst/
- ^ GenAm: /klɔːθ/
- ^ GenAm: /kæst/
- ^ alt. /ˈfiːfər/
- ^ alt. /eɪt/
- ^ alt. /əˈlæs/
- ^ alt. /əˈlaɪ/
- ^ GenAm: /ˈliːʒər/
- ^ GenAm: /kævz/
- ^ GenAm: /hæf/
- ^ GenAm alt. /ˈɡreɪnəri/
- ^ alt. /ˈɪəri, ˈaɪəri/
- ^ GenAm: /ɡlæs/
- ^ alt. /ˈnɛfjuː/
- ^ GenAm: /klɜːrk/
- ^ GenAm: /ɡræsp/
- ^ alt. /ɡroʊts/
- ^ GenAm: /ˈræðər/
- ^ alt. /ˈlæðər/
- ^ GenAm: /kɔːf/
- ^ GenAm: /rɔːŋ/
Things that shouldn't matter in an ideal world but do in this one
edit| he | If you asked this user what third-person pronouns applied to him, he would say—well, now you know. |
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| ain't | This user believes that prescriptive grammar rules stem from linguistic ignorance and are used to enforce economic class distinctions. |
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That this is absurd does not prevent its happening.
— J. C. Wells, Accents of English (1982), p. 106