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02-Jun-09(now updated and Unicode-enriched)
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This page is intended to complement my other pages in two ways: for British non-linguists it's a rough guide to the scheme of transcription I'm using, while for non-British linguists it's an introduction to my accent. If you are already familiar with both Kirshenbaum ASCII IPA 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 "/A./ as in /'bA.D@/" 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 a set of explanatory sound files tailored to your own particular native dialect, whatever that is (and web-browsing environment, likewise). It 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.
| CONTENTS |
| FOREWORD - the above TERMINOLOGY - definitions INVENTORY - list of sounds COMPLICATIONS - more jargon EXAMPLES - list of words SENTENCES - more 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: | ASCII IPA in slant-brackets | /lAIk DIs/ |
| Phonetic details: | ASCII IPA in square-brackets | [lAIk DIs] |
And before I get started I'll need to explain some of the labels I'm sticking on things:
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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. The "Real IPA" equivalents are a new addition, for the convenience of the increasing proportion of visitors I can expect to be using Unicode-capable browsers. I've also upgraded some of my out-of-date terminology to the standard currently recommended by the IPA.
For the benefit of visitors who still see some of those Real IPA symbols as "unrecognised character" signs, here's a chart of them in graphical form:
![[JBR RP CONSONANTS]](pix/ipa-c.png) |
![[JBR RP VOWELS]](pix/ipa-v.png) |
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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.
| <accomplished> = | /@'k@mplISt/ | - UM, not OM |
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| <advertisement> = | /@d'vV":tIsm@nt/ | - n.b. stress |
| <all> = | /O:l/ | |
| <almond> = | /'A:m@nd/ | - no /l/ |
| <ant> = | /&nt/ | |
| <anxious> = | /'&NkS@s/ | |
| <arctic> = | /'A:ktIk/ | - <artic> is a lorry |
| <aren't> = | /A:nt/ | |
| <ASCII-IPA> = | /'&ski:'AIpi:,EI/ | |
| <associated> = | /@'s@USi:,EItId/ | - with a SH |
| <association> = | /@,s@Usi:'EIS@n/ | - n.b. only one SH |
| <aunt> = | /A:nt/ | - cf. <aren't> |
| <bachelor> = | /'b&tS@l@/ | - three syllables |
| <bald> = | /bO:ld/ | |
| <balm> = | /bA:m/ | - cf. <bomb> |
| <band> = | /b&nd/ | |
| <bath> = | /bA:T/ | |
| <beauty> = | /'bju:ti:/ | |
| <beta> = | /'bi:t@/ | - same as <beater> |
| <bomb> = | /bA.m/ | |
| <broom> = | /brUm/ | |
| <buckling> = | /'b@klIN/ | - a young buck |
| <buckling> = | /'b@k@lIN/ | - starting to buckle |
| <buoy> = | /bOI/ | - same as <boy> |
| <burglar> = | /'bV":gl@/ | - no R |
| <burial> = | /'bEri:@l/ | |
| <businessman> = | /'bIznIsm@n/ | |
| <buddhist> = | /'bUdIst/ | - not /'bu:dIst/ |
| <butcher> = | /'bUtS@/ | |
| <candidate> = | /'k&ndI,dEIt/ | - or /'k&ndId@t/ |
| <casualty> = | /'k&ZUlti:/ | |
| <caught> = | /kO:t/ | |
| <centenary> = | /sEn'ti:n@ri:/ | |
| <cheese> = | /tSi:z/ | |
| <charade> = | /S@'rA:d/ | |
| <children> = | /'tSUldr@n/ | - or /'tSIldr@n/ |
| <choice> = | /tSOIs/ | |
| <choral> = | /'kO:r@l/ | |
| <chrysanthemum> = | /krIs'&nT@m@m/ | |
| <clanger> = | /'kl&N@/ | |
| <clangour> = | /'kl&Ng@/ | |
| <clerk> = | /klA:k/ | - AH not UR |
| <cloth> = | /klA.T/ | |
| <colonel> = | /'kV":n@l/ | |
| <colour> = | /'k@l@/ | |
| <comfortable> = | /'k@mft@b@l/ | - no OR |
| <comma> = | /'kA.m@/ | |
| <congratulate> = | /k@N'gr&tSU,lEIt/ | - never /gr&dZ/ |
| <conjuror> = | /'k@ndZ@r@/ | |
| <controversy> = | /k@n'trA.v@si:/ | - n.b. stress |
| <cooed> = | /ku:d/ | - cf. <could> |
| <coral> = | /'kA.r@l/ | - cf. <choral> |
| <cot> = | /kA.t/ | - cf. <caught> |
| <could> = | /kUd/ | |
| <coupon> = | /'ku:pA.n/ | |
| <courgette> = | /kU@'ZEt/ | - or /kO:'ZEt/ |
| <court> = | /kO:t/ | - same as <caught> |
| <crass> = | /kr&s/ | - cf. <grass> |
| <crayon> = | /'krEIA.n/ | - cf. <mayonnaise> |
| <cud> = | /k@d/ | - cf. <could> |
| <cupboard> = | /'k@b@d/ | |
| <cure> = | /kjU@/ | - or /kjO:/ |
| <curry> = | /'k@ri:/ | |
| <data> = | /'dEIt@/ | |
| <dearly> = | /'dI@li:/ | - cf. <really> |
| <deity> = | /'dEI@ti:/ | - like <gaiety> |
| <diamond> = | /'dAI@m@nd/ | - three syllables |
| <diphthong> = | /'dIfTA.N/ | - not <dip> |
| <do> = | /du:/ | - cf. <due> |
| <docile> = | /'d@UsAIl/ | |
| <doll> = | /dA.l/ | - not like <dole> |
| <dress> = | /drEs/ | |
| <dully> = | /'d@lli:/ | - cf. <fully> |
| <due> = | /dju:/ | |
| <during> = | /'djU@rIN/ | - or /dZO:rIN/ |
| <dynasty> = | /'dIn@sti:/ | |
| <Edinburgh> = | /'EdInb@r@/ | - or /'Ed@mbr@/ |
| <eighth> = | /EItT/ | |
| <either> = | /'i:D@/ | - or /'AID@/ |
| <English> = | /'INglIS/ | |
| <entire> = | /En'tAI@/ | |
| <ether> = | /'i:T@/ | - cf. <either> |
| <extraordinary> = | /Ek'strO:dIn,Eri:/ | |
| <face> = | /fEIs/ | |
| <finger> = | /'fINg@/ | - cf. <ginger> |
| <fleece> = | /fli:s/ | |
| <flourish> = | /'fl@rIS/ | |
| <foot> = | /fUt/ | |
| <force> = | /fO:s/ | |
| <fully> = | /'fUli:/ | |
| <gala> = | /'gA:l@/ | - cf. <parlour> |
| <garage> = | /'g&rIdZ/ | - or /'g&rA:dZ/ |
| <ginger> = | /'dZIndZ@/ | - cf. <singer> |
| <Glasgow> = | /'glA:zg@U/ | |
| <goat> = | /g@Ut/ | |
| <goose> = | /gu:s/ | |
| <grass> = | /grA:s/ | - cf. <crass> |
| <grocery> = | /'gr@Us@ri:/ | |
| <half-mirrored> = | /'hA:f,mIr@d/ | |
| <hanging> = | /'h&NIN/ | - no /g/ |
| <happy> = | /'h&pi:/ | |
| <happiness> = | /'h&pInEs/ | - cf. <merriness> |
| <herb> = | /hV":b/ | |
| <hovercraft> = | /'hA.v@,krA:ft/ | |
| <huge> = | /hju:dZ/ | |
| <insolvencies> = | /In'sA.lv@n,si:z/ | |
| <ion> = | /'AIA.n/ | |
| <iron> = | /'AI@n/ | |
| <jaguar> = | /'dZ&gju:@/ | - not Spanish |
| <Kirshenbaum> = | /'kV":S@n,bO:m/ | - not German |
| <kit> = | /kIt/ | |
| <laboratory> = | /l@'bA.r@tri:/ | |
| <language> = | /'l&NgwIdZ/ | |
| <lather> = | /'lA:D@/ | |
| <laugh> = | /lA:f/ | |
| <lawyer> = | /'lOI@/ | - or (oddly) /'lOIj@/ |
| <leisure> = | /'lEZ@/ | |
| <length> = | /lENkT/ | - or /lENT/ |
| <letter> = | /'lEt@/ | |
| <lever> = | /'li:v@/ | |
| <library> = | /'lAIbri:/ | - two syllables |
| <lieutenant> = | /lEf'tEn@nt/ | - army only! |
| <Linux> = | /'lIn@ks/ | |
| <loch> = | /lA.h/ | - on loan from Scots |
| <lorry> = | /'lA.ri:/ | |
| <lot> = | /lA.t/ | |
| <luxury yacht> = | /'l@kS@ri:,jA.t/ | |
| <machismo> = | /m@'tSIzm@U/ | |
| <marry> = | /'m&ri:/ | |
| <Mary> = | /'mE@ri:/ | |
| <mayonnaise> = | /,mEI@'nEIz/ | - cf. <crayon> |
| <merry> = | /'mEri:/ | |
| <merriness> = | /'mEri:nEs/ | - cf. <happiness> |
| <miscible> = | /'mIsIb@l/ | - cf. below |
| <missable> = | /'mIs@b@l/ | - cf. above |
| <missile> = | /'mIsAIl/ | |
| <mouth> = | /m&UD/ | - verb |
| <mouth> = | /m&UT/ | - noun |
| <mum> = | /m@m/ | |
| <near> = | /nI@/ | |
| <nephew> = | /'nEfju:/ | - never /'nEvju:/ |
| <Newcastle> = | /'nju:kA:s@l/ | |
| <newspaper> = | /'nju:spEIp@/ | |
| <niche> = | /ni:S/ | - like <leash> |
| <nodule> = | /'nA.dju:l/ | |
| <nonadministrative> = | /,nA.n@d'mInIstr@tIv/ | |
| <north> = | /nO:T/ | |
| <Norwich> = | /'nA.rIdZ/ | - like <porridge> |
| <nubile> = | /'nju:bAIl/ | |
| <nuclear> = | /'nju:kli:@/ | |
| <nurse> = | /nV":s/ | |
| <often> = | /'A.f@n/ | |
| <one> = | /w@n/ | - same as <won> |
| <ongoing> = | /'A.ng@UIN/ | - jocularly /'A.N,OIN/ |
| <palm> = | /pA:m/ | |
| <parlour> = | /'pA:l@/ | - cf. <gala> |
| <pasta> = | /'p&st@/ | |
| <patriot> = | /'pEItri:@t/ | |
| <pen> = | /pEn/ | |
| <pidgin> = | /'pIdZIn/ | |
| <pin> = | /pIn/ | |
| <poor> = | /pO:/ | - not usually /pU@/ |
| <pore> = | /pO:/ | - same as <paw> |
| <potato> = | /p@'tEIt@U/ | |
| <pour> = | /pO:/ | - like the rest! |
| <preferably> = | /'prEfr@bli:/ | |
| <pretty> = | /'prIti:/ | |
| <primarily> = | /prAI'mErIli:/ | - n.b. stress |
| <price> = | /prAIs/ | |
| <process> = | /'pr@UsEs/ | |
| <put> = | /pUt/ | |
| <putt> = | /p@t/ | |
| <quarter> = | /'kO:t@/ | - no /w/ |
| <question> = | /'kwEstS@n/ | |
| <queue> = | /kju:/ | |
| <raspberry> = | /'rA:zbri:/ | |
| <really> = | /'ri:@li:/ | - cf. <steely> |
| <rhythm> = | /'rID@m/ | |
| <route> = | /ru:t/ | - <root> not <rout> |
| <sausage> = | /'sA.sIdZ/ | |
| <scarce> = | /skE@s/ | |
| <schedule> = | /'SEdju:l/ | |
| <sentient> = | /'sEnSi:@nt/ | - or /'sEnS@nt/ |
| <shared> = | /SE@d/ | - very like <shed> |
| <shone> = | /SA.n/ | - <on>, not <own> |
| <singer> = | /'sIN@/ | - cf. <finger> |
| <sixths> = | /sIksTs/ | |
| <solder> = | /'s@Uld@/ | |
| <soldier> = | /'s@UldZ@/ | - cf. above |
| <species> = | /'spi:Si:z/ | |
| <square> = | /skwE@/ | |
| <squirrel> = | /'skwIr@l/ | - two syllables |
| <start> = | /stA:t/ | |
| <status> = | /'stEit@s/ | |
| <steely> = | /'sti:li:/ | |
| <story> = | /'stO:ri:/ | |
| <strut> = | /str@t/ | |
| <strychnine> = | /'strIkni:n/ | |
| <succinct> = | /s@k'sINkt/ | |
| <suet> = | /'su:It/ | |
| <suggest> = | /s@'dZEst/ | - no /g/ |
| <suit> = | /su:t/ | |
| <sully> = | /'s@li:/ | - cf. <fully> |
| <taunt> = | /tO:nt/ | - cf. <aunt> |
| <taxes> = | /'t&ksIz/ | |
| <taxis> = | /'t&ksi:z/ | |
| <there> = | /DE@/ | |
| <thither> = | /'DID@/ | - twice /D/ |
| <thorough> = | /'T@r@/ | |
| <thought> = | /TO:t/ | |
| <tomato> = | /t@'mA:t@U/ | |
| <tongue> = | /t@N/ | |
| <tortoise> = | /'tO:t@s/ | - likewise <porpoise> |
| <toward> = | /t@'wO:d/ | |
| <trap> = | /tr&p/ | |
| <truer> = | /'tru:@/ | |
| <valid> = | /'v&lId/ | |
| <valleyed> = | /'v&li:d/ | |
| <vase> = | /vA:z/ | |
| <vehicle> = | /'vi:Ik@l/ | - no /h/ |
| <version> = | /'vV":S@n/ | |
| <virgin> = | /'vV":dZIn/ | |
| <vitamin> = | /'vIt@mIn/ | |
| <voltage> = | /'v@UltIdZ/ | |
| <walk> = | /wO:k/ | |
| <warrior> = | /'wA.ri:@/ | - cf. <worrier> |
| <Wednesday> = | /'wEnzdEI/ | |
| <whine> = | /wAIn/ | - same as <wine> |
| <worrier> = | /'w@ri:@/ | - cf. <warrior> |
| <your> = | /jO:/ | - same as <yaw> |
| <you're> = | /jO:/ | - or /jU@/ |
| <zebra> = | /'zi:br@/ | - less often /'zEbr@/ |
| <zoology> = | /zu:'A.l@dZi:/ |
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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.
<With tenure, Suzie'd have all the more leisure for yachting, but her publications are no good.>
/wID 'tEnj@ 'su:z,i:d h&v O:l D mO: 'lEZ@ f@ 'jA.tIN b@t hV": ,p@blI'kEIS@nz @ n@U gUd/
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 /U@/, it would require the addition of <air thigh rear chow joy>. 2004 addendum: at last I've found a perfect JBR-RP pangram, with exactly one use of each phoneme in my inventory:
<Are those shy Eurasian footwear, cowboy chaps, or jolly earthmoving headgear?>
/A: D @U z S AI j U@ 'r EI Z @ n 'f U t w E@ 'k &U b OI tS & p s O: 'dZ A. l i: 'V": T ,m u: v I N 'h E d g I@/
Yes, I know there are far too many <R>s 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:
<Bother, father caught hot coffee in the carpark>
/'bA.D@ 'fA:D@ kO:t hA.t 'kA.fi: In D@ 'kA:,pA:k/
<I teach Ferdinand the calm cat to fetch cold cups of coffee. Who knows more about tasting things? He's used the book.>
/AI ti:tS 'fV":dI,n&nd D@ kA:m k&t t@ fEtS k@Uld k@ps @v 'kA.fi: hu: n@Uz mO:r @b&Ut 'tEIstIN TINz hi:z ju:zd D@ bUk/
<The North Wind and the Sun were disputing
which was the stronger, when a traveller came along wrapped
in a warm cloak. They agreed that the one who first succeeded
in making the traveller take his cloak off should be considered
stronger than the other.
Then the North Wind blew as hard as he could, but the more he blew
the more closely did the traveller fold his cloak around him, and at
last the North Wind gave up the attempt; then the Sun shone out
warmly, and immediately the traveller took off his cloak.
And so the North Wind was obliged to confess that the Sun was the
stronger of the two.>
/D@ nO:T wInd @n D@ s@n w@ dIs'pju:tIN wItS
w@z D@ 'strA.Ng@ wEn @ 'tr&vl@ kEIm @'lA.N r&pt In @
wO:m kl@Uk DEI @'gri:d D@t D@ w@n hu:
f@:s s@k'si:dId In 'mEIkIN D@ 'tr&vl@ tEIk Iz kl@Uk
A.f SUb bi: k@n'sId@d 'strA.Ng@ D@n Di: '@D@
DEn D@ nO:T wInd blu: @z hA:d z i: kUd b@t D@
mO:r i: blu: D@ mO: 'kl@Usli: dId D@ 'tr&vl@ f@Uld hIz
kl@Uk @'r&Und hIm @n @t lA:s D@ nOT wInd gEIv
@p Dj @'tEmp DEn D@ s@n SA.n &Ut 'wO:mli: @n
I'mi:dZ@tli: D@ 'tr&vl@ tUk A.f Iz kl@Uk
@n s@U D@ nO:T wInd w@z @'blAIdZ t@ k@n'fEs D@t D@ s@n w@z D@
'strA.Ngr @v D@ tu:/
2005 addendum: here's a token sample of what JBR RP looks like (recycling the "pangram" example sentence) when it's transcribed in the Real IPA characters and displayed via Unicode:
/ɑː ðəʊz ʃɑɪ jʊəˈɹɛɪʒən ˈfʊtwɛə ˈkæʊbɔɪ ʧæps ɔː ˈʤɒliː ˈɜːθˌmuːvɪŋ ˈhɛdɡɪə/
With luck that should look a lot better than the ASCII version, but it's hard to be sure - I've got no basis for assuming you have any particular font installed that handles IPA well, so I'm having to leave it as a default serif typeface. You should be able to find a more appropriate one by modifying your browser configuration... just don't start mailing me your MS-IE tech-support questions, okay?
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