Alternative Pronunciation Symbols

On this page:
Symbol Groups Symbol Table Example Sentences Explanatory Notes 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.

Symbol		Example word		ASCII IPA equivalent		11th Collegiate symbol
@		bac'o'n		@		inverted e (schwa)
a		b'a't		&		a
a-		b'a'con		eI		a macron
a:		f'a'ther		A		a umlaut
ow		c'ow'		aU		a plus u dot over
e		b'e't		E		e
e-		b'ee't		i		e macron
i		b'i't		I		i
i-		b'i'te		aI		i macron
o^		b'o'dy (UK)		A.		none?
o		b'o'dy (US)		A		a umlaut
o-		b'o'de		oU		o macron
o.		b'o're		O		o dot over
oi		b'oi'nk		Oi		o dot over plus i
u		b'u't		V		inverted e (schwa)
u-		b'oo't		u		u umlaut
u.		g'oo'd		U		u dot over
ch		'ch'in		tS		ch
ng		si'ng'		N		n with hook
sh		'sh'in		S		sh
th		'th'in		T		th
th_		'th'en		D		th with underscore
zh		a'z'ure		Z		zh

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 > \^se-(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-z(e<)(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\

Explanatory Notes

In compiling this table of pronunciation symbols I've tried to make it reminiscent of schemes used traditionally in popular American dictionaries and in the Chambers Dictionary in the UK. One departure 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

For each example, the first line is the plain text, then ASCII IPA transcription, then transcription with alternative symbols.

Quick jumps vex the lazy brown fox dog >

[kwIk dZVmps vEks D@ 'leIzi braUn fA:ks dA:g]

\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 >

[naU Iz D@ taIm fO:r A:l gUd mEn tu kVm tu Di: eId @v DEr 'pA:rti]

\n(ow) iz (th_)@ ti-m fo.r a:l gu.d men tu- kum tu- (th_)e- a-d @v (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 ju k@n ki:p yO:r hEd waIl DoUz @raUnd ju A:r luziN DErz
meIbi: ju dZVst doUnt 'Vnd@r'st&nd D@ sItSueIS@n]

\if yu- k@n ke-p yo.r hed wi-l (th)o-z @r^(ow)nd yu- a:r ^lu-z(e-<)(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:lwi:z 'dA:rk@st dZVst bi:'fO:r D@ stO:rm]

\its ^a:lw(e-<)z ^da:rk@st just be-^fo.r (th_)@ sto.rm\

The early worm should have stayed in bed >

[Di: '@rli: w@rm SUd h&v steId In bEd\

\(th_)e- ^@rl(e-<) w@rm (sh)u.d hav sta-d in bed\