What is the IPA?

The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a system of phonetic notation based on the Latin alphabet. It’s used by linguists, language teachers, and others to represent the sounds of spoken language in a consistent way.

Essentially, it assigns a unique symbol to each distinct sound (phoneme) used in human speech. This allows for precise transcription of pronunciation, regardless of language.

Key Aspects of IPA

• Vowels
  • These represent the different open sounds. IPA distinguishes between various vowel qualities (e.g., the “a” in “father” vs. the “a” in “cat”).
• Consonants
  • These represent the sounds produced by obstructing airflow in the vocal tract. IPA covers a wide range of consonant sounds, including those not found in English.
• Stress and Intonation
  • IPA also includes symbols to indicate stress (emphasis on syllables) and intonation (pitch variations).

Where to Find IPA Information

• Cambridge Dictionary
  • This online dictionary provides IPA transcriptions for English words, along with explanations of the symbols. It’s a very good resource for those learning english.
  • Here is a link to their help page regarding phonetics:
    • Help – Phonetics – Cambridge Dictionary
• EasyPronunciation.com
  • This website provides pronunciation of words, and often various different versions of pronounciation.
  • Here is a link to their website:
    • EasyPronunciation.com
• The London School of English
  • This website provides a good overview of the phonetic alphabet, and examples of sounds.
  • Here is a link to their website:
    • Phonetic alphabet – examples of sounds – The London School of English
• Wikipedia
  • Wikipedia has comprehensive articles on the IPA, including charts and explanations of the symbols.

Tips for Learning IPA

• Start with the English sounds: Focus on the IPA symbols that represent the sounds you use in your own English pronunciation.
• Use online resources: Many websites and apps offer interactive IPA charts and pronunciation exercises.
• Practice transcribing words: Try to write out the IPA transcriptions of words you hear.
• Listen to audio recordings: Compare your transcriptions to audio recordings of native speakers.