International Phonetic Alphabet: Difference between revisions
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==In other languages== | ==In other languages== | ||
*'''a''' is the basic letter ''a'' sound in many languages. It lies between '''ɑ''' and '''ʌ''' | *'''a''' is the basic letter ''a'' sound in many languages. It lies between '''ɑ''' and '''ʌ''' | ||
*'''o''' is the sound of the 'o' of the [[Romance language]]s and the entirety of the [[French language|French]] word for water, ''eau'' | *'''o''' is the sound of the ''o'' of the [[Romance language]]s and the entirety of the [[French language|French]] word for water, ''eau'' | ||
*'''ʁ''' is the sound of the throaty ''r'' in French and German | *'''ʁ''' is the sound of the throaty ''r'' in French and German | ||
*'''y''' is the sound of ''u'' (as opposed to ''ou'') in French and ''ü'' in [[German language|German]]. In [[Finnish language|Finnish]] it is written ''y''. It can be made by rounding the lips as if to say '''u''' while trying to say '''i''' | *'''y''' is the sound of ''u'' (as opposed to ''ou'') in French and ''ü'' in [[German language|German]]. In [[Finnish language|Finnish]] it is written ''y''. It can be made by rounding the lips as if to say '''u''' while trying to say '''i''' | ||
Revision as of 13:54, 23 March 2008
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is the alphabet that shows pronunciation. It is an expanded English alphabet, with the Greek letter theta (θ) representing the unvoiced 'th' sound of 'thin', and the Icelandic letter eð (ð) representing the voiced 'th' sound of 'then'.
Key to IPA representation of English sounds
A guide to the sounds of English, in a sort of alphabetical order:
- ɑ is pronounced as is the 'a' in 'father', or in British English 'fast', or 'o' in American English 'not'
- æ is pronounced as the 'a' in 'cat', or AmE 'fast'
- aɪ as 'i' in 'time'
- aʊ as 'ow' in 'now'
- ɒ as in BrE 'not'
- ʌ as 'u' in 'up'
- b as in 'be'
- d as in 'do'
- dʒ as 'j' in 'just', or 'g' in 'gene'
- ð as 'th' in 'this'
- eə as the diphthong in 'hair'
- eɪ as 'ei' in 'vein' or 'ai' in 'vain'
- ə as 'a' in 'about', or 'e' in 'open'
- əʊ as 'o' in 'go'
- ɛ as 'e' in 'get'
- ɜ as the vowel sound in 'her', 'fir', 'fur' and 'work'
- f as in 'for'
- g as in 'go'
- h as in 'he'
- i as in 'machine', or 'ee' in 'see'
- ɪ as in 'it'
- ɪə as the diphthong in 'fear'
- j as 'y' in 'you'
- k as in 'kiss', or 'c' in 'cat'
- l as in 'like'
- m as in 'me'
- n as in 'no'
- ɔ as 'o' in 'or', or 'aw' in 'awful'
- ɔɪ as 'oi' in 'coin'
- p as in 'pip'
- r as in 'right'
- s as in 'sit', or 'c' in 'nice'
- ʃ as 'sh' in 'she', or 'ti' in 'edition'
- t as in 'tell'
- tʃ as 'ch' in 'choose'
- θ as in 'think'
- u as in 'true', or 'oo' in 'food'
- ʊ as 'u' in 'put' or 'oo' in 'foot'
- ʊə as the diphthong in 'pure'
- v as in 'very'
- w as in 'we'
- z as in 'zoo' or 's' in 'these'
- ʒ as 'si' in 'vision'
- ː lengthens a preceding vowel
In other languages
- a is the basic letter a sound in many languages. It lies between ɑ and ʌ
- o is the sound of the o of the Romance languages and the entirety of the French word for water, eau
- ʁ is the sound of the throaty r in French and German
- y is the sound of u (as opposed to ou) in French and ü in German. In Finnish it is written y. It can be made by rounding the lips as if to say u while trying to say i