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1999–2013(Real IPA edition)
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The function of this page has changed since it was first created in the nineties. Originally, it was a transcription of my accent into Kirshenbaum ASCII IPA, the 7-bit encoding I was using as a substitute for raw phonetic symbols back in the days when web browsers couldn't be trusted to handle Unicode characters like ə and ʃ. Now that (as of 2013) I no longer use ASCII IPA on any of my other pages, I have finally been able to retire it here too.
The part that's still applicable is that this page is intended to
complement the rest of my site in two ways: for British
non-linguists it's a rough guide to phonemic transcription, while
for non-British linguists it's an introduction to my accent.
If you are already familiar with both the International Phonetic
Alphabet and modern RP you're unlikely to find it very useful; and
on the other hand if you don't know what I mean either by
O as in bother
or by ɒ as in
ˈbɒðə
then there's no convenient
way I'm going to be able to get the leverage to explain
either – or at any rate, not without knowing whether
you're from Auckland, Kingston, or Chicago.
This page is fairly technical, but that can't be helped: attempts
to explain details like this purely in terms of hard TH
and
long A sounds
just spread confusion. You may imagine
that all I would need to do is add some audio examples; and indeed
I may some day get round to doing that, but it's not a high
priority, because the sad fact is that they wouldn't help
much. If you haven't been trained to listen, your ears
wouldn't take in the unfamiliar features of my pronunciations any
more than your eyes would be likely to notice a trivial typo you're
not actively looking for – instead your mothertongue
perceptual filters automatically reinterpret everything to fit the
phonological categories you're used to.
| FOREWORD | (the above) |
| TERMINOLOGY | (definitions) |
| INVENTORY | (list of sounds) |
| COMPLICATIONS | (more jargon) |
| WORDS | (individual examples) |
| SENTENCES | (longer examples) |
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Throughout this essay, example spellings and so forth are as usual marked out as follows…
| Orthodox spellings: | angle-bracketed | like this |
| Phonemic transcriptions: | IPA in slant-brackets | lɑɪk ðɪs |
| Phonetic details: | IPA in square-brackets | lɑɪk ðɪs |
And before I get started I'll need to explain some of the labels I'm sticking on things:
phonemein a nutshell… compare the attempts on my Espe-Ranto, Spelling Reform and Futurese pages)
NATO Phonetic Alphabeton the one hand or with India Pale Ale (and indeed IsoPropyl Alcohol) on the other.
Received Pronunciation, an accent better known perhaps as
BBC English. Like
General Americanit is socially dominant as a standard
educatedaccent; but unlike GA, RP is strongly associated with a particular region and social class, that of the southern English (upper-)middle class.
posh, though by no means up to Hollywood villain standards. It has a few traceably East Anglian traits, and lacks several features becoming common in more southern areas; see the pronunciations of insolvencies, Norwich, quarter listed below.
correctgrammar, or vocabulary, and certainly not spelling; I'm talking about accent, meaning how things are pronounced – you can quote Bob Marley or PG Wodehouse in any accent!
SSS-ZZZ-SSS-ZZZ!
T, no air can escape the mouth (until it's abruptly released); it scrapes through turbulently in fricatives like
F; and approximants like
Whardly impede the airflow at all.
MMM); affricates turn from plosive to fricative (
TCH); and laterals involve airflow around the sides of a central blockage (
LLL).
AY-OH-AY-OHand pay attention to what your tongue's doing.
closevowels like
OOOand greatest in
openvowels like
AAH.
OOO-EEE, but trickier in the middle – Americans are likely to have trouble following my
AW sounds.
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JBR RP features the following supply of consonants and vowels,
here listed in an order which is more or less systematic
rather than quasi-alphabetic.
schwa) as in UP, BUD
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Characteristically
flapped Dthere, and many UK accents use a
glottal stop; JBR RP has a clearcut
Tin that particular context, but allows a glottalised t in a more limited family of words.
longsounds, including affricates like j (=dʒ) and diphthongs like oy (=ɔɪ). A case could be made for splitting each of these into subcomponents, but at least for my own accent I find such analyses unnatural.
YOO– j followed by uː – and needs no separate sign of its own.
schwa.
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Please remember that this is an attempt at a representative
selection of accurately reported spoken forms, not a prescriptive
guide to how English should be spoken. These may be what I
normally say, but I'm not denying the existence of alternatives
(even in BBC English); when people pronounce nuclear
as
noocular
, that's not the end of the
world.
| absorption = | əbˈzɔːbʃən | |
|---|---|---|
| absurd = | əbˈsɜːd | |
| accomplished = | əˈkəmplɪʃt | – UM, not OM |
| actually = | ˈæktʃəliː | – but not ˈækʃliː |
| advertisement = | ədˈvɜːtɪsmənt | – n.b. stress |
| albino = | ælˈbiːnəʊ | |
| all = | ɔːl | |
| almond = | ˈɑːmənd | – no l |
| alto = | ˈæltəʊ | |
| ant = | ænt | – cf. aunt |
| anxious = | ˈæŋkʃəs | |
| arctic = | ˈɑːktɪk | – artic is a lorry |
| aren't = | ɑːnt | – cf. aunt |
| Asia = | ˈɛɪʒə | |
| asphalt = | ˈæʃfɛlt | – unjustifiably |
| associated = | əˈsəʊʃiːˌɛɪtɪd | – with a SH |
| association = | əˌsəʊsiːˈɛɪʃən | – n.b. only one SH |
| asthma = | ˈæsθmə | – cf. isthmus |
| aunt = | ɑːnt | – cf. taunt |
| bachelor = | ˈbætʃələ | – three syllables |
| bald = | bɔːld | |
| balm = | bɑːm | – cf. bomb |
| band = | bænd | |
| basil = | ˈbæzəl | – like the name |
| bath = | bɑːθ | |
| beauty = | ˈbjuːtiː | |
| beta = | ˈbiːtə | – same as beater |
| bilabial = | bɑɪˈlɛɪbiːəl | |
| board = | bɔːd | – same as baud |
| bomb = | bɒm | – cf. balm |
| booth = | buːð | – like soothe |
| broom = | brʊm | |
| buckling = | ˈbəklɪŋ | – a young buck |
| buckling = | ˈbəkəlɪŋ | – starting to buckle |
| buddhist = | ˈbʊdɪst | – not ˈbuːdɪst |
| bumblebee = | ˈbəmbəlˌbiː | |
| buoy = | bɔɪ | – same as boy |
| burglar = | ˈbɜːglə | – no R |
| burial = | ˈbɛriːəl | |
| businessman = | ˈbɪznɪsmən | |
| butcher = | ˈbʊtʃə | |
| caches = | ˈkæʃɪz | |
| candidate = | ˈkændɪˌdɛɪt | – or ˈkændɪdət |
| caramel = | ˈkærəˌmɛl | |
| careless = | ˈkɛələs | |
| casualty = | ˈkæʒʊltiː | |
| caught = | kɔːt | – cf. cot |
| cautious = | ˈkɔːʃəs | – cf. nauseous |
| celebratory = | ˌsɛliːˈbrɛɪtəriː | |
| centenary = | sɛnˈtiːnəriː | |
| centrifugal = | ˌsɛntrɪˈfjuːgəl | – not -ˈtrɪf- |
| chance = | tʃɑːns | |
| charade = | ʃəˈrɑːd | |
| cheese = | tʃiːz | |
| children = | ˈtʃʊldrən | – or ˈtʃɪldrən |
| choice = | tʃɔɪs | |
| Chomsky = | ˈtʃɒmskiː | – not as Belorussian Хомскі |
| choral = | ˈkɔːrəl | – cf. coral |
| chorizo = | tʃɒˈriːsəʊ | – not -rɪts- |
| chrysanthemum = | krɪˈsænθəməm | |
| circumstances = | ˈsɜːkəmˌstɑːnsɪz | |
| clanger = | ˈklæŋə | |
| clangour = | ˈklæŋgə | |
| clerk = | klɑːk | – AH not UR |
| cloth = | klɒθ | |
| colonel = | ˈkɜːnəl | |
| colour = | ˈkələ | |
| comfortable = | ˈkəmftəbəl | – no OR |
| comma = | ˈkɒmə | |
| congratulate = | kəŋˈgrætʃʊˌlɛɪt | – never grædʒ |
| conjuror = | ˈkəndʒərə | |
| controversy = | kənˈtrɒvəsiː | – n.b. stress |
| cooed = | kuːd | – cf. cud |
| coral = | ˈkɒrəl | – cf. choral |
| cot = | kɒt | – cf. caught |
| could = | kʊd | – cf. cooed |
| coupon = | ˈkuːpɒn | |
| courgette = | kʊəˈʒɛt | – or kɔːˈʒɛt |
| court = | kɔːt | – same as caught |
| crass = | kræs | – cf. grass |
| crayon = | ˈkrɛɪɒn | – cf. mayonnaise |
| crescent = | ˈkrɛzənt | – rhymes with present |
| cud = | kəd | – cf. could |
| cumin = | ˈkəmɪn | – not ˈkjuːmən |
| cupboard = | ˈkəbəd | |
| cure = | kjʊə | – or kjɔː |
| curry = | ˈkəriː | |
| data = | ˈdɛɪtə | |
| dearly = | ˈdɪəliː | – cf. really |
| deity = | ˈdɛɪətiː | – like gaiety |
| delicious = | dɪˈlɪʃəs | |
| diamond = | ˈdɑɪəmənd | – three syllables |
| diphthong = | ˈdɪfθɒŋ | – not dip |
| do = | duː | – cf. due |
| docile = | ˈdəʊsɑɪl | |
| doesn't = | ˈdəzənt | |
| doll = | dɒl | – not like dole |
| dress = | drɛs | |
| due = | djuː | – cf. do |
| dully = | ˈdəlliː | – cf. sully |
| during = | ˈdjʊərɪŋ | – or dʒɔːrɪŋ |
| dynasty = | ˈdɪnəstiː | |
| ecosystem = | ˈiːkəʊˌsɪstəm | – eek! |
| Edinburgh = | ˈɛdɪnbərə | – or ˈɛdəmbrə |
| eighth = | ɛɪtθ | |
| either = | ˈiːðə | – or ˈɑɪðə |
| electric = | ɪˈlɛktrɪk | |
| English = | ˈɪŋglɪʃ | |
| entire = | ɛnˈtɑɪə | |
| ephemeral = | ɪˈfiːmərəl | |
| equinox = | ˈɛkwɪˌnɒks | |
| ether = | ˈiːθə | – cf. either |
| evolution = | ˌiːvəˈluːʃən | |
| example = | ɛgˈzɑːmpəl | |
| extraordinary = | ɛkˈstrɔːdɪnˌɛriː | |
| face = | fɛɪs | |
| falcon = | ˈfɔːlkən | |
| false = | ˈfɔːls | |
| February = | ˈfɛbrəriː | – or -ruːˌɛriː |
| figure = | ˈfɪgə | |
| financial = | fɑɪˈnænʃəl | |
| finger = | ˈfɪŋgə | – cf. ginger |
| fleece = | fliːs | |
| flourish = | ˈflərɪʃ | |
| foot = | fʊt | |
| force = | fɔːs | |
| forehead = | ˈfɔːhɛd | |
| from = | frɒm | – reduces to frəm |
| fully = | ˈfʊliː | – cf. dully |
| gala = | ˈgɑːlə | – cf. parlour |
| garage = | ˈgærɪdʒ | – or ˈgærɑːdʒ |
| gibberish = | ˈdʒɪbərɪʃ | – softG |
| gigabyte = | ˈgɪgəbɑɪt | – hardG |
| ginger = | ˈdʒɪndʒə | – cf. singer |
| Glasgow = | ˈglɑːzgəʊ | |
| goat = | gəʊt | |
| goose = | guːs | |
| gradually = | ˈgrædʒəliː | |
| grass = | grɑːs | – cf. crass |
| grocery = | ˈgrəʊsəriː | |
| half-mirrored = | ˌhɑːfˈmɪrəd | |
| Hallowe'en = | ˌhæləʊˈiːn | – not hollow |
| halt = | hɔːlt | |
| hanging = | ˈhæŋɪŋ | – no g |
| happiness = | ˈhæpɪnɛs | – cf. merriness |
| happy = | ˈhæpiː | |
| herb = | hɜːb | – initial consonant |
| historic = | hɪˈstɒrɪk | – initial consonant |
| hovercraft = | ˈhɒvəˌkrɑːft | |
| huge = | hjuːdʒ | |
| ideology = | ˌɑɪdiːˈɒlədʒiː | |
| insolvencies = | ɪnˈsɒlvənˌsiːz | |
| interadministrative = | ˌɪntərədˈmɪnɪstrətɪv | |
| inventory = | ˈɪnvəntriː | – infantry with a v |
| ion = | ˈɑɪɒn | |
| IPA = | ˌɑɪpiːˈɛɪ | |
| iron = | ˈɑɪən | |
| isthmus = | ˈɪsθməs | – cf. asthma |
| jaguar = | ˈdʒægjuːə | – not as Spanish |
| jumped = | ˈdʒəmpt | |
| jury = | ˈdʒʊəriː | – or ˈdʒɔːriː |
| Kirshenbaum = | ˈkɜːʃənˌbɔːm | – not as German |
| kit = | kɪt | |
| labiovelar = | ˌlɛɪbiːəʊˈviːlə | – rhymes with tequila |
| laboratory = | ləˈbɒrətriː | |
| language = | ˈlæŋgwɪdʒ | |
| lather = | ˈlɑːðə | |
| laugh = | lɑːf | |
| lava = | ˈlɑːvə | – same as larva |
| lawyer = | ˈlɔɪə | – or (oddly) ˈlɔɪjə |
| leisure = | ˈlɛʒə | |
| length = | lɛŋkθ | – or lɛŋθ |
| letter = | ˈlɛtə | |
| lever = | ˈliːvə | |
| library = | ˈlɑɪbriː | – two syllables |
| lichen = | ˈlɑɪkən | – same as liken |
| lieutenant = | lɛfˈtɛnənt | – army only! |
| Linux = | ˈlɪnəks | |
| loch = | lɒh | – on loan from Scots |
| longitude = | ˈlɒŋgɪˌtjuːd | – yes, wrongly |
| lorry = | ˈlɒriː | |
| lot = | lɒt | |
| lure = | ljɔː | |
| luxury yacht = | ˈləkʃəriːˌjɒt | |
| machismo = | məˈtʃɪzməʊ | |
| mall = | mɔːl | |
| marry = | ˈmæriː | |
| Mary = | ˈmɛəriː | |
| mayonnaise = | ˌmɛɪəˈnɛɪz | – cf. crayon |
| merriness = | ˈmɛriːnɛs | – cf. happiness |
| merry = | ˈmɛriː | |
| mischievous = | ˈmɪstʃəvəs | – not mischevious |
| miscible = | ˈmɪsɪbəl | – cf. below |
| missable = | ˈmɪsəbəl | – cf. above |
| missile = | ˈmɪsɑɪl | |
| moustache = | məˈstɑːʃ | |
| mouth = | mæʊð | – verb |
| mouth = | mæʊθ | – noun |
| mum = | məm | |
| muslim = | ˈmʊzlɪm | – not mooselimb |
| mustn't = | ˈməsənt | |
| nauseous = | ˈnɔːziːəs | – cf. cautious |
| near = | nɪə | |
| necessary = | ˈnɛsəˌsɛriː | |
| nephew = | ˈnɛfjuː | – never ˈnɛvjuː |
| Newcastle = | ˈnjuːkɑːsəl | |
| newspaper = | ˈnjuːspɛɪpə | |
| niche = | niːʃ | – like leash |
| nodule = | ˈnɒdjuːl | |
| north = | nɔːθ | |
| Norwich = | ˈnɒrɪdʒ | – like porridge |
| nubile = | ˈnjuːbɑɪl | |
| nuclear = | ˈnjuːkliːə | |
| nurse = | nɜːs | |
| of = | ɒv | – reduces to əv, ə |
| often = | ˈɒfən | |
| ogle = | ˈəʊgəl | – like mogul |
| ominous = | ˈɒmɪnəs | |
| one = | wən | – same as won |
| onerous = | ˈəʊnərəs | |
| ongoing = | ˈɒngəʊɪŋ | – jocularly ˈɒŋˌɔɪŋ |
| oral = | ˈɔːrəl | – same as aural |
| ordinary = | ˈɔːdɪnəriː | – or ˈɔːdnəriː |
| oregano = | ˌɒrɪˈgɑːnəʊ | – rhymes with Arno |
| palm = | pɑːm | |
| paprika = | pəˈpriːkə | – rhymes with Eureka |
| parlour = | ˈpɑːlə | – cf. gala |
| pasta = | ˈpæstə | |
| patriot = | ˈpɛɪtriːət | |
| patronise = | ˈpɛɪtrəˌnɑɪz | |
| pen = | pɛn | |
| perpetual = | ˌpɜːˈpɛtʃuːəl | |
| phoneme = | ˈfəʊniːm | – not like phone me |
| phonemic = | fəˈnɛmɪk | – like academic |
| pidgin = | ˈpɪdʒɪn | |
| pin = | pɪn | |
| plosive = | ˈpləʊzɪv | – less often ˈpləʊsɪv |
| Polynesia = | ˌpɒliːˈniːʒə | – or -ˈniːziːə |
| poor = | pɔː | – not usually pʊə |
| pore = | pɔː | – same as paw |
| postalveolar = | ˌpəʊstælˈviːələ | |
| potato = | pəˈtɛɪtəʊ | |
| pour = | pɔː | – like the rest! |
| preferably = | ˈprɛfrəbliː | |
| premiere = | ˈprɛmiːɛə | |
| prestigious = | prəˈstɪdʒəs | |
| pretty = | ˈprɪtiː | |
| price = | prɑɪs | |
| primarily = | prɑɪˈmɛrɪliː | – n.b. stress |
| process = | ˈprəʊsɛs | |
| project = | ˈprɒdʒɛkt | – noun |
| pronunciation = | prəˌnənsiːˈɛɪʃən | – not proNOUNciation |
| puncture = | ˈpəŋktʃə | |
| pursuit = | pəˈsjuːt | |
| put = | pʊt | – cf. putt |
| putt = | pət | – cf. put |
| quagmire = | ˈkwɒgmɑɪə | |
| quarter = | ˈkɔːtə | – no w |
| question = | ˈkwɛstʃən | |
| questionnaire = | kwɛstʃəˈnɛə | |
| queue = | kjuː | |
| raspberry = | ˈrɑːzbriː | |
| real = | ˈriːəl | – same as reel |
| really = | ˈriːəliː | – cf. steely |
| restaurant = | ˈrɛstəˌrɒnt | – or ˈrɛstrənt |
| rhythm = | ˈrɪðəm | |
| room = | rʊm | – not ruːm |
| route = | ruːt | – root not rout |
| sausage = | ˈsɒsɪdʒ | |
| says = | sɛz | |
| scallop = | ˈskæləp | – like gallop |
| scarce = | skɛəs | |
| schedule = | ˈʃɛdjuːl | |
| schwa = | ʃwɑː | |
| scone = | skɒn | – on, not own |
| scythed = | sɑɪðd | |
| sentient = | ˈsɛnʃiːənt | – or ˈsɛnʃənt |
| shared = | ʃɛəd | – very like shed |
| shone = | ʃɒn | – on, not own |
| shore = | ʃɔː | – same as Shaw |
| simultaneous = | ˌsɪməlˈtɛɪniːəs | |
| singer = | ˈsɪŋə | – cf. finger |
| situation = | ˌsɪtʃuːˈɛɪʃən | |
| sixths = | sɪksθs | |
| software = | ˈsɒftwɛə | |
| solder = | ˈsəʊldə | |
| soldier = | ˈsəʊldʒə | – cf. above |
| source = | sɔːs | – same as sauce |
| species = | ˈspiːʃiːz | |
| square = | skwɛə | |
| squirrel = | ˈskwɪrəl | – two syllables |
| start = | stɑːt | |
| status = | ˈstɛɪtəs | |
| steely = | ˈstiːliː | – cf. dearly |
| story = | ˈstɔːriː | |
| strut = | strət | |
| strychnine = | ˈstrɪkniːn | |
| succinct = | səkˈsɪŋkt | |
| suet = | ˈsuːɪt | |
| suggest = | səˈdʒɛst | – no g |
| suit = | suːt | |
| sully = | ˈsəliː | – cf. fully |
| taunt = | tɔːnt | – cf. aunt |
| taxes = | ˈtæksɪz | – cf. taxis |
| taxis = | ˈtæksiːz | – cf. taxes |
| than = | ðæn | – or unstressed ðən |
| theatre = | ˈθiːətə | |
| then = | ðɛn | – or unstressed ðən |
| thither = | ˈðɪðə | – twice ð |
| thorough = | ˈθərə | |
| thought = | θɔːt | |
| tomato = | təˈmɑːtəʊ | |
| tongue = | təŋ | |
| tortoise = | ˈtɔːtəs | – like porpoise |
| tourniquet = | ˈtɔːnɪˌkɛɪ | – no final T |
| toward = | təˈwɔːd | |
| trap = | træp | |
| truer = | ˈtruːə | |
| tune = | tjuːn | |
| turmeric = | ˈtɜːmərɪk | – not ˈtjuːmərɪk |
| vacation = | vɛɪˈkɛɪʃən | |
| valid = | ˈvælɪd | |
| valleyed = | ˈvæliːd | |
| vase = | vɑːz | |
| vehicle = | ˈviːɪkəl | – no h |
| version = | ˈvɜːʃən | |
| virgin = | ˈvɜːdʒɪn | |
| vitamin = | ˈvɪtəmɪn | |
| voltage = | ˈvəʊltɪdʒ | |
| voluntarily = | ˌvɒlənˈtɛrɪliː | |
| walk = | wɔːk | |
| warrior = | ˈwɒriːə | – cf. worrier |
| wash = | wɒʃ | – like posh |
| Wednesday = | ˈwɛnzdɛɪ | |
| were = | wɜː | – reduces to wə |
| we're = | wɪə | – cf. were, where |
| where = | wɛə | – likewise there |
| whine = | wɑɪn | – same as wine |
| width = | wɪtθ | |
| with = | wɪð | |
| worrier = | ˈwəriːə | – cf. warrior |
| wrongly = | ˈrɒŋliː | |
| your = | jɔː | – same as yaw |
| you're = | jɔː | – or jʊə |
| youths = | juːðz | |
| zebra = | ˈziːbrə | – less often ˈzɛbrə |
| zoology = | zuːˈɒlədʒiː |
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Some full-length case-studies – they may not be phrases
that come up frequently in conversation, but all of them have been
used before, and The North Wind and the Sun
is often seen
as a sample text in comparative studies. In each case, I am
speaking with normal levels of emphasis at ordinary
conversational speeds.
For certain US accents and phonological analyses, that's a
quick brown fox
sentence, providing a full inventory of
phonemes; for me, even if we ignore the somewhat marginal
ʊə, it would require the addition of air
thigh rear chow joy. Eventually I found myself a
perfect JBR-RP pangram, with exactly one use of each phoneme in my
inventory:
Yes, I know there are far too many Rs in that for it to work for all you rhotic types! Honestly, for me there's only one – I've increased the spaces between segments to make it easier if you want to double-check. Now for some less elaborately contrived example sentences:
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