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d text for a definition. Introduction to phonetic transcription elated Pages !emonstration of phonetic transcription

"ith phonetic transcriptions# dictionaries tell $ou a%out the pronunciation of words. Phonetic transcription is necessar$# %ecause the spelling of a word does not tell $ou how $ou should pronounce it.

Phonetic transcriptions are usuall$ written in the International Phonetic &lpha%et (IP&)# in which each English sound has a special s$m%ol.

'or example# the phonetic transcription of no is # and the transcription of do is . (In spelling# these words are similar. (he$ %oth end in the letter o. )ut their phonetic transcriptions are different# %ecause the$ are pronounced differentl$.)

Phonetic transcription is usuall$ gi*en in %rackets# like this: ++# ++.

In a dictionar$# it looks like this:

,-ongman &cti*e Stud$ !ictionar$ of English.

()$ the wa$# not all dictionaries gi*e the pronunciations of words. If $ou are serious a%out learning English# $ou should %u$ a dictionar$ which has this information.) (he International Phonetic &lpha%et

(ake a look at our ta%le with all the IP& s$m%ols used in phonetic transcriptions in English dictionaries. "ord stress

"hen a word has man$ s$lla%les# one of them is alwa$s pronounced more strongl$. (his is called word stress# and we sa$ that the s$lla%le is stressed. 'or example# in the word %ecome# the stressed s$lla%le is come. If the stressed s$lla%le was %e# %ecome would %e pronounced like this.

!ictionaries tell $ou which s$lla%le is stressed. (he most popular s$stem is to put an apostrophe () %efore the stressed s$lla%le in the phonetic transcription of the word. 'or example# the transcription for %ecome is ++.

If a word has onl$ one s$lla%le (for example: pen# house)# the s$lla%le is alwa$s stressed. !ictionaries usuall$ do not put an apostrophe %efore the onl$ s$lla%le. So the$ don/t write ++ 0 the$ simpl$ write ++.

Some dictionaries use other s$stems for showing word stress. 'or example# the$ ma$ put an apostrophe after the stressed s$lla%le# or the$ ma$ underline the stressed s$lla%le. & demonstration

Ha*e a look at our demonstration of the phonetic transcription s$stem. 1ou can read the transcriptions of some English words and listen to their pronunciations at the same time. Phonemic transcription

(he most common t$pe of phonetic transcription is called phonemic transcription. (his is the t$pe that we discuss on &ntimoon and that is used in dictionaries.

How does phonemic transcription work2 Suppose we ha*e two different English sounds. Should we gi*e them separate s$m%ols in transcriptions2 In phonemic transcription# the answer is 3$es3 onl$ if there is an English word where sa$ing one sound instead of another changes the meaning. 'or example# sa$ing 3d3 instead of 3t3 in the word %et changes the meaning (the word %ecomes %ed)# therefore we use separate s$m%ols for 3d3 and 3t3 in phonemic transcriptions. "e sa$ that 3t3 and 3d3 are two different phonemes. (he 3flap t3 (in this pronunciation of the word letter) and the regular 3t3 (in this one) are two *er$ different sounds. Howe*er# there are no English words where sa$ing the 3flap t3 instead of the regular 3t3 (or the other wa$ around) changes the meaning. (herefore# in phonemic

transcription# we use the same s$m%ol for the 3flap t3 and the regular 3t3. ("e sa$ that the 3flap t3 and 3regular t3 are the same phoneme.)

(4ore examples in our article on phonemic transcription.) &. 5. 6imson/s s$stem

(he most popular s$stem of phonemic transcription was created %$ &. 5. 6imson. It is used (with certain small changes) in nearl$ all dictionaries pu%lished in )ritain. It is also used on &ntimoon.

6imson/s s$stem uses s$m%ols from the International Phonetic &lpha%et (IP&) to represent phonemes. 7f course# some phonemes can %e pronounced in man$ wa$s (as explained a%o*e)# and therefore could %e written with man$ IP& s$m%ols. 'or example# the 3t3 phoneme can %e spoken like the 3regular t3 sound (IP& s$m%ol ) or like the 3flap t3 sound (IP& s$m%ol ). In such cases# &. 5. 6imson simpl$ chose one of the possi%le IP& s$m%ols. (hus# the 3t3 phoneme is represented %$ the s$m%ol.

(he fact that &.5. 6imson/s phonemic s$stem uses IP& s$m%ols can %e confusing# %ecause can mean %oth the phoneme and the sound.

In addition to 6imson/s s$m%ols# recent dictionaries use the following additional (non8 phonemic) s$m%ols in transcriptions: # # # # and . epresenting &merican English

6imson/s s$stem was created with )ritish pronunciation in mind. Howe*er# it can also %e used to descri%e &merican pronunciation. (here are two %asic wa$s to do this:

Separate transcriptions for )ritish and &merican English# for example: dot &mE ++ farm go mother )rE ++# &mE ++ )rE ++# &mE ++ )rE ++# &mE ++ (or ++)

)rE ++#

((his s$stem is used e.g. in the 5am%ridge English Pronouncing !ictionar$ and the -ongman !ictionar$ of 5ontemporar$ English)

7ne transcription for %oth )ritish and &merican English. (his is done %$ using mostl$ )ritish phoneme s$m%ols plus the s$m%ol. dot ++ farm go mother ++ ++ ++

In this s$stem# transcriptions are shorter# %ut the reader must know that# in &merican English# changes to and changes to . (his s$stem is used e.g. in the 5ollins 57)9I-! &d*anced -earner/s English !ictionar$ and on &ntimoon.

Some dictionaries use something in %etween these two extremes# gi*ing separate &merican transcriptions for some words# %ut not for others. 'or example# the 7xford &d*anced -earner/s !ictionar$ gi*es separate &mE+)rE transcriptions# except when the word ends in . 3:arrow3 phonetic transcription

(he other t$pe of phonetic transcription is much more detailed than phonemic transcription. In 3narrow transcription3# we use different s$m%ols e.g. for: the 3p3 sound in pin and spin (the first is accompanied %$ more %reathing) the 3w3 sound in wet and twice (the first is *oiced# the second is not) the 3u3 sound in this pronunciation of flu and this one (the second has a longer 3u3 sound) the 3flap t3 and the regular 3t3 (the first is *oiced and 3flapped3; in narrow transcription it is usuall$ denoted as )

3:arrow3 transcription also uses s$m%ols of the International Phonetic &lpha%et. Howe*er# it uses more s$m%ols than 6imson/s phonemic transcription. 3:arrow3 transcription is mainl$ used %$ phoneticians and is not co*ered on &ntimoon. Su%scri%e to get an e8mail when we pu%lish a new update. 5heck out our terrific pronunciation software.

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Search this site Home: How to learn English: Pronunciation: !emonstration of phonetic transcription !emonstration of phonetic transcription

(his page shows $ou how to read and write the phonetic transcriptions of English words. !ictionaries use phonetic transcriptions to tell $ou how $ou should pronounce words.

&ll the transcriptions on this page are written in the phonemic s$stem used in most dictionaries for English learners. (he$ use s$m%ols of the International Phonetic &lpha%et (IP&). &ll the pronunciations are written with 3uni*ersal3 ()ritish8&merican) s$m%ols# %ut are spoken in &merican English. 'or example# their is transcri%ed as ++# and the sound is heard in the recording. 'or more information# look at the ta%le with English sounds and IP& s$m%ols.

Instructions: Pla$ the sound samples ('lash re<uired)# listen to the words# and read the transcriptions. that difficult $ou which their a%out photo should people also %etween man$ thicker child hear s$stem group num%er ser*ice something place point pro*ide large general howe*er another again world area ps$cholog$ course compan$ under pro%lem ne*er

alwa$s next <uick ner*ous local during although who example rather social write percent guest %oth e*er$ month important

head information <uestion %usiness power change mo*e %ook de*elopment $oung national water $et perhaps until control include %elie*e

allow stand idea character result happen friend carr$ awful

person once police lose position industr$ ma=or %uild language

earl$ *iew himself xerox report political law ghost modest

international else $eah center enough calm color lure knife

Su%scri%e to get an e8mail when we pu%lish a new update. 5heck out our terrific pronunciation software. Ha*e <uestions or comments2 Send them