The
following chart shows some of the International Phonetic Alphabet symbols and
sounds they represent. Use it to decode the words found on your "Sound
Communication" handout. The underlined portion of the word represents the part
of the word where the symbol's sound is heard. This chart only represents most,
but not all, of the Standard American English IPA sounds.
The word using the IPA symbols may not be the same length or look like the
traditional English spelling of the word.
Example: Photograph is transcribed as /fotogræf/
As you translate each word, remember that although some IPA symbols
resemble English letters, they are not pronounced in the same way. Make sure to
use the sound associated with the IPA symbol listed in this key.
Example: The phonetic word cast is actually pronounced "cost"
Letters that are not pronounced are not transcribed.
Example: Note is transcribed as /not/
Some sounds are made with the breath only; others are made by adding your
voice.
Example: In pike, the "p" is created using only your breath; in
bike the "b" sound is created by adding your voice.
An apostrophe symbol (') indicates where a word with more than one
syllable should be stressed when spoken. The stress mark should appear before
the stressed syllable.
Example: Classroom is transcribed /'klæsrum/.
Slashes are used to indicate that the characters contained within them
are IPA characters.
Example: Take is transcribed /'tek/.
