Psychonaut
07-08-2009, 10:54 PM
The International Phonetic Alphabet
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a system of phonetic notation based on the Latin alphabet, devised by the International Phonetic Association as a standardized representation of the sounds of spoken language. The IPA is used by foreign language students and teachers, linguists, speech pathologists and therapists, singers, actors, lexicographers, and translators.
The IPA is designed to represent only those qualities of speech that are distinctive in spoken language: phonemes, intonation, and the separation of words and syllables. To represent additional qualities of speech such as tooth gnashing, lisping, and sounds made with a cleft palate, an extended set of symbols called the Extensions to the IPA is used.
Occasionally symbols are added, removed, or modified by the International Phonetic Association. As of 2008, there are 107 distinct letters, 52 diacritics, and four prosody marks in the IPA proper.
Source (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet)
IPA can be a very valuable tool in language learning. When I was first studying Chinese, we initially used IPA to write our phonemes. It was that, in tandem with listening to native speakers, that enabled us to get an accurate picture of the sounds of Chinese into our heads. The great thing about IPA is that once you understand what sounds the symbols make (which can be done by reading something in your dialect written in IPA), you can pronounce the sounds of any other language on Earth transcribed into IPA.
So, to start here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPA_chart_for_English_dialects) is an IPA chart for nine English dialects. Additionally, here is the master-key chart:
http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2195&stc=1&d=1247093321
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a system of phonetic notation based on the Latin alphabet, devised by the International Phonetic Association as a standardized representation of the sounds of spoken language. The IPA is used by foreign language students and teachers, linguists, speech pathologists and therapists, singers, actors, lexicographers, and translators.
The IPA is designed to represent only those qualities of speech that are distinctive in spoken language: phonemes, intonation, and the separation of words and syllables. To represent additional qualities of speech such as tooth gnashing, lisping, and sounds made with a cleft palate, an extended set of symbols called the Extensions to the IPA is used.
Occasionally symbols are added, removed, or modified by the International Phonetic Association. As of 2008, there are 107 distinct letters, 52 diacritics, and four prosody marks in the IPA proper.
Source (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet)
IPA can be a very valuable tool in language learning. When I was first studying Chinese, we initially used IPA to write our phonemes. It was that, in tandem with listening to native speakers, that enabled us to get an accurate picture of the sounds of Chinese into our heads. The great thing about IPA is that once you understand what sounds the symbols make (which can be done by reading something in your dialect written in IPA), you can pronounce the sounds of any other language on Earth transcribed into IPA.
So, to start here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPA_chart_for_English_dialects) is an IPA chart for nine English dialects. Additionally, here is the master-key chart:
http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2195&stc=1&d=1247093321