A Table of Pronunciation Symbols

See explanatory notes or example sentences or comparison with ASCII IPA

Symbol Groups

bait beet bite boat boot
\ba-t be-t bi-t bo-t bu-t\

bat bet bit bott but
\bat bet bit ba:t but\

barn born bout sing sink good
\ba:rn bo.rn b(ow)t se-(ng) se-(ng)k gu.d\

chin shin thin then azure
\(ch)in (sh)in (th)in (th_)en ^a(zh),yu-r\

Symbol Table

^ - following symbol has primary stress
' - following symbol has secondary stress
( ) - bracket compound symbols
[ ] - bracket alternative sounds
> - Preceding sound is lengthened
< - Preceding sound is shortened
Pronunciation representations are bracketed with "\"s as in the _Collegiate_.

When ambiguity is possible, compound symbols like "th"
or "ng" should be enclosed in parens.  For example,

     knighthood > \^ni-thu.d\
     method > \^me(th)@d\
     cowboy > \^k(ow)'b(oi)\
     singer > \^si(ng)@r\
     alpenglow > \^alp@nglo-\

I've omitted the secondary stress on "glo" in "alpenglow" and "hood" in
"knighthood" for the sake of clarity.

The consonant symbols [b], [d], [f], [h], [k], [l], [m], [n],
[p], [r], [s], [t], [v], [w], and [z] have their usual English
values.

The letter "g" can't be said to have a "usual" English value, since
it's commonly used for both the soft sound in "gyp" and the hard
sound in "gift".  For the hard sound, ASCII IPA [g] is used.

Example sentences

     Quick jumps vex the lazy brown fox dog >
     \kwik jumps veks (th_)@ ^la-z(e-<) br(ow)n fa:ks da:g\

     Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their party >
     \n(ow) iz (th_)@ ti-m fo.r a:l gu.d men tu- cum tu- (th_)e- a-d uv (th_)er ^pa:rt(e-<)

     If you can keep your head while those around you are losing theirs,
     maybe you just don't understand the situation >
     \if yu- kan ke-p yo.r hed wi-l (th_)o-z @r(ow)nd yu- a:r lu-zi(ng) (th_)erz
     ma-be- yu- just do-nt ^und@r'stand (th_)@ si(ch)u-a-(sh)@n\

     It's always darkest just before the storm >
     \its ^a:lw(e-<)z ^da:rk@st just be-^fo.r (th_)@ sto.rm\

     The early worm should have stayed in bed >
     \(th_)e- ^@rl(e-<) w@rm (sh)u.d hav sta-d in bed\

Go to top

Explanatory Notes

In compiling this table of pronunciation symbols I've tried to make it
reminiscent of schemes used traditionally in standard dictionaries.
One depearture from that principle is that I've added marks to show
lengthening and shortening.  Note that I'm using the hyphen
for a macron, but written to the right of the letter instead of above.
The dieresis has slid down and stood on end, making it a colon.

Comparison with ASCII IPA