This file was prepared in 1997 by Markus Laker and me as part of an effort to
promote greater use of ASCII IPA in the alt.usage.english newsgroup. I've now
added a fifth transliteration using symbols from my suggested alternative symbol
table, which I describe at http://tinyurl.com/35kpr9 .
For each line I've interpolated five lines of ASCII IPA, the first
representing pronunciations as shown in Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
and using Kirshenbaum's symbols as shown in the a.u.e FAQ, the second
representing the words as I think I pronounce them when I'm speaking casually,
and the third representing the RP pronunciations that are shown in The Concise
Oxford Dictionary Eighth Edition. In the latter two cases I sometimes use
symbols to represent diphthongs that differ from the ones shown in the FAQ in
order to more accurately show the variant pronunciations.
In short, the six lines are
English text (BC)
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (BC)
Bob Cunningham's normal speech (BC)
The Concise Oxford Dictionary (BC/ML)
Markus Laker's normal speech (ML)
Bob Cunningham's speech with alternative symbols (BC)
Sometime in the past few weeks, someone in a.u.e has
['sVm,tAIm In D@ p&st fju: wi:ks], ['sVmw@n In] a.u.e [h&z
['sVm,tAim In D- p&st fju: wi:ks], ['sVmw@n In] a.u.e [h&z
['sVmtaIm In D@ pA:st fju: wi:ks], ['sVmwVn In] a.u.e [h&z
['sVmtaIm In D@ pA:st fju: wi:ks], ['sVmwVn In] a.u.e [h@z
\^sum,ti-m in (th_)@ past fyu wi-ks\,\'sum,wun in\ a.u.e. \haz
expressed a wish to see examples of ASCII IPA paired with
Ik'sprEst @ wIS t@ si: Ig'z&mp@lz @v] ASCII IPA [p&rd wID
@ksprEst @ wIS t@ si: @g'z&mpl-z @v] ASCII IPA [pErd w@D
Ik'sprEst @ wIS t@ si: Ig'zA:mp@lz @v] ASCII IPA [pE@d wID
Ik'sprEst @ wIS t@ si: Ig'zA:mp@lz @v] ASCII IPA [pE:d wID
eks^prest @ wi(sh) t@ si- eg^zamp@lz @v\ ASCII IPA \perd wi(th_)
the same words in normal orthography. Motivated by
D@ seIm wVrdz In 'nO:rm@l O:r'TA:gr@fi:]. [moUt@veIt@d bAI
D- sEim w@rdz In 'nO:rml- O:r'TA:gr@,fi:]. [mout@vEit@d bAi
D@ seIm w@:dz In 'nO:m@l O:'TA.gr@fi]. [m@UtI'veItId baI
D@ seIm wV":dz In 'nO:m@l O:'TA.gr@fi]. ['m@UtI,veItId baI
(th_)sa-m w@rdz in ^no.rm@l ,o.r(th)a:gr@fe-\, \^mo-t@va-t@d bi-
that wish, and with the thought that others in a.u.e might be
D&t wIS], [&nd wID D@ TOt D&t VD@rz In] a.u.e [mAIt bi:
D&t wIS], [n- wID D@ TA:t D@t VD@rz In] a.u.e [mAit bi:
D&t wIS], [&nd wID D@ TO:t D&t 'VD@z In] a.u.e [maIt bi:
D&t wIS], [@n wID D@ TO:t D@t 'VD@z In] a.u.e [maIt bi:
(th_)at wi(sh)\. \@nd wi(th) (th_)@ (th)a:t (th_)at u(th_)@rz in\ a.u..e. \mi-t be-
interested in seeing specific examples of the stuff
'Int@r@st@d In si:IN spI'sIfIk Igz&mp@lz A:v D@ stVf
'Intr@st@d In si:iN sp@'sIf@k @gz&mpl-z @v D- stVf
'IntrEstId In si:IN spI'sIfIk Ig'zA:mp@lz A.v D@ stVf
'Intr@stId In si:IN sp@'sIfIk Ig'zA:mp@lz @v D@ stVf
\intr@st@d in se-e-(ng) sp@^sif@k @g^zamplz @v (th_) stuf
alongside its decipherment, I've prepared this posting.
@'lONsAId Its di:'sAIf@rm@nt], [AIv prip&rd DIs poUstIN].
@'lA:NsAid Its d@'sAif@rm@nt], [Aiv pr@pErd DIs pousti:N].
@'lA.NsaId Its dI'saIf@m@nt], [aIv pri'pE@d DIs p@UstIN].
@'lA.NsaId Its di'saIf@m@nt], [aIv prI'pE:d DIs p@UstIN].
\@^la:(ng),si-d its d@^si_f@rm@nt\, \i-v pr@perd (th_)is po-ste-(ng)\.
For each line I've interpolated three lines of ASCII IPA,
[fO:r i:tS lAIn AIv In'tVrp@,leIt@d Tri: lAInz Vv] ASCII IPA,
[fO:r i:tS lAin Aiv @n't@rp@lEit@d Tri: lAinz @v] ASCII IPA,
[f@r i:tS laIn aIv In't@:p@l,eItId Tri: laInz A.v] ASCII IPA,
[f@r i:tS laIn aIv In'tV":p@l,eIt@d Tri: laInz @v] ASCII IPA,
\fo.r e-(ch) li-n i-v in^t@rp@la-t@d fi-v li-nz @v\ ASCII IPA,
the first representing pronunciations as shown in
[D@ fVrst ,rEprI'zEntIN pr@,nVnsi:'eIS@nz &z SoUn In
[D@ f@rst ,rEpr@'zEnti:N pr@,nVnsi:'EiS@nz @z Soun In
[D@ f@:st ,rEprI'zEntIN pr@,nVnsI'eIS@nz &z S@Un In
[D@ fV":st ,rEpr@'zEntIN pr@,nVnsI'eIS@nz @z S@Un In
\(th_)@ f@rst ^repr@,zente-(ng) pr@,nunse-a-(sh)@nz @z (sh)o-n in
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and using
Merriam-[wEbst@rz k@'li:dZ@t 'dIkS@,nEri:] [&nd ju:zIN
['mEri@m]-[wEbst@rz k@'l:dZ@t 'dIkS@n,Eri:] [n- ju:zi:N]
Merriam-Webster's [k@'li:dZ@t 'dIkS@nrI] [&nd ju:zIN]
'mEri@m 'wEbst@z k@'li:dZ@t 'dIkS@n@ri @nd 'ju:zIN
^mere-@m ^webst@rz k@^le-j@t ^dik(sh)@,nere- @nd yu-ze-(ng)
Kirshenbaum's symbols as shown in the a.u.e FAQ, the
Kirshenbaum's ['sImb@lz &z SoUn In D@ eI ju: i:] FAQ, [D@
['K@rS@n,bA:mz 'sImb@lz @z Soun In D@ Ei ju: i: f&k], D@
Kirshenbaum's ['sImb@lz &z S@Un In D@ eI ju: i:] FAQ, [D@
'kV:"S@n,baUmz 'sImb@lz @z S@Un In Di eI ju: i: f&k], [D@
^k@r(sh)@nba:mz ^simb@lz @z (sh)o-n in (th_)@ a- yu- e- fak\, \(th_)@
second representing the words as I think I pronounce them
'sEk@nd ,rEprI'zEntIN D@ wVrdz &z AI TINk AI pr@'nAUns DEm
'sEk@nt ,rEpr@'zEnti:N D@ w@rdz @z Ai Ti:Nk Ai pr@'nAuns D@m
'sEk@nd ,rEprI'zEntIN D@ w@:dz &z aI TINk aI pr@'naUns DEm
'sEk@nd ,rEpr@'zEntIN D@ wV":dz @z aI TINk aI pr@'naUns D@m
^sek@nd ,repr@^zente-(ng) (th_)@ w@rdz @z i- (th)e-(ng)k i- pr@n(ow)ns (th_)@m
when I'm speaking casually, and the third representing the
wEn AIm 'spi:kIN 'k&Zw@li:], [&nd D@ T@rd ,rEprI'zEntIN D@
wEn Aim spi:ki:N 'k&Z@li:], [n- D@ T@rd ,rEpr@'zEnti:N D@
wEn aIm spi:kIN 'k&ZU@li], [&nd D@ T@:d ,rEprI'zEntIN D@
wEn aIm spi:kIN 'k&ZUli], [@n D@ TV":d ,rEpr@'zEntIN Di
wen i-m ^spe-ke-(ng) ^ka(zh)y@le-\, \n (th_)@ (th)@rd ,repr@^zente-(ng) (th_)@
RP pronunciations that are shown in The Concise Oxford
A:r pi: pr@,nVnsi:'eIS@nz D@t A:r SoUn In] [D@ k@n'sAIs 'A:ksf@rd
A:r pi: pr@,nVnsi:'EiS@nz D@t @r Soun In] [D@ k@n'sAis 'A:ksf@rd
A: pi: pr@,nVnsI'eIS@nz D&t A: S@Un In] [D@ k@n'saIs 'A.ksf@d
A: pi: pr@,nVnsI'eIS@nz D@t @ S@Un In] _[D@ k@n'saIs 'A.ksf@d
a:r pe- pr@,nunse-^a-(sh)@nz (th_)@t @r (sh)o-n in (th_)@ k@n^si-s ^a:ksf@rd
Dictionary Eighth Edition. In the latter two cases I sometimes
'dIkS@,nEri:]_ [eItT I'dIS@n]. [In D@ 'l&t@r tu: 'keIs@z AI 'sVm,tAImz
'dIkS@n,Eri:]_ [EitT @'dIS@n]. [In D@ 'l&d@r tu: 'kEis@z Ai 'sVm,tAimz
'dIkS@nrI]_ [eItT 'IdIS@n]. [In D@ 'l&t@ tu: 'keIsIz aI 'sVmtaImz
'dIkS@n@rI]_ [eItT I'dIS@n]. [In D@ 'l&t@ tu: 'keIsIz aI 'sVmtaImz
^dik(sh)@,nere- a-t(th) @di(sh)@n\. \in (th_)@ ^lat@r tu- ka-s@s i- ^sum,ti-mz
use symbols to represent diphthongs that differ from the ones shown in
ju:z 'sImb@lz tu: ,rEprI'zEnt 'dIfTONz D&t 'dIf@r frVm D@ wVnz SoUn In
ju:z 'sImb@lz t- .rEpr@'zEnt 'dIfTA:Nz D@t 'dIf@r fr@m D@ wVnz Soun In
ju:z 'sImb@lz t@ ,rEprI'zEnt 'dIfTA.Nz D&t 'dIf@ frA.m D@ wVns S@Un In
ju:z 'sImb@lz t@ ,rEprI'zEnt 'dIfTA.Nz D@t 'dIf@ fr@.m D@ wVns S@Un In
yu-z ^simb@lz t@ ,repr@^zent ^dif(th)a:(ng)z (th_)@t ^dif@r fr@m (th_)@ wunz (sh)o-n in
the FAQ in order to more accurately show the variant
D@ f&k In 'O:rd@r tu: mO:r '&kj@r@t,li: SoU D@ 'vEri:@nt
D@ f&k In 'O:rd@r t@ mO:r '&kj@r@t,li: Sou D@ 'vEri:@nt
D@ f&k In 'O:d@ t@ mO: '&kjUr@tlI S@U D@ 'vE@rI@nt
D@ f&k In 'O:d@ t@ mO: '&kjUr@tlI S@U D@ 'vE:rI@nt
(th_)@ fak in ^o.rd@r tu mo.r ^aky@r@tle- (sh)o- (th_)@ ^vere-@nt
pronunciations.
pr@,nVnsi:'eIS@nz].
pr@,nVnsi:'EiS@nz].
pr@,nVnsI'eIS@nz].
pr@,nVnsI'eIS@nz].
pr@,nunse-^a-(sh)@nz\.
[Markus adds: To keep things sane, I've used the pronunciation /f&k/ for 'FAQ' in
this transcription, even though I normally say /Ef eI kju:/.]
