Help:IPA/Conventions for English
te so apostrophe ' and colon :. Depending on the
considered correct, as may be the case for personal and place names.
However, often variant transcriptions reflect distinctions between accents, and these we do not need to transcribe, since our IPA key already covers such distinctions. For example, Merriam-Webster transcribes merry as "/ˈmɛri/" and marry as "/ˈmɛri, ˈmæri/". The two transcriptions of marry are meant to show that some people pronounce it the same as merry; it does not mean that there are two pronunciations of marry among those who either do or do not make this distinction (see Mary–marry–merry merger). It would not be possible to have the song lyric "You say marry and I say merry", because only those people who say those words differently would be able to sing it. Therefore on Wikipedia we would only have one transcription for each: merry /ˈmɛri/, marry /ˈmæri/. Since the IPA key defines the orthographic conventions of /ɛr/ and /ær/ according to basic English words, readers who do not make the marry–merry distinction will see /ɛr/ and /ær/ as being equivalent, much as the spelling pronunciations YOU-clid and EWE-clid for "Euclid" would be seen as equivalent.
Consonants
Consonants vary little between dictionaries. The ones which do are those in the words:
- rich, char /r ~ ɹ ~ (r) ~ (ɹ) ~ zero/;
- which, /ʍ ~ hw ~ (h)w ~ w/;
- and new, /njuː ~ nuː/.
Wikipedia editors have decided to go with /rɪtʃ/, /tʃɑːr/, /hwɪtʃ/, /njuː/ for these words.
A few dictionaries, such as dictionary.com, use "/y/" for /j/, which is at odds with the official IPA usage, which defines /y/ as close front rounded vowel, and appears as such in transcriptions of French and German, as well as some dialects of English.
Vowels
The following tables compare the broad IPA pronunciation scheme of some dictionaries to the one used on Wikipedia. The overview is not exhaustive, but major pronouncing dictionaries have been included. Highlight colors:
- Green highlights pronunciation symbols that are the same as on Wikipedia (disregarding a syllable divider when it does not mean a two-syllable pronunciation, but only that the /r/ belongs to the next syllable, and disregarding different symbolizations of the syllable divider or of /r/);
- yellow highlights pronunciation symbols that differ only in the use of the length symbol ⟨ː⟩, in parentheses, in superscripts, in non-rhotic dropped /r/, or in inserting an optional sign;
- red highlights pronunciation symbols that use different signs.
Other conventions:
- A question mark (?) means that the sound has not been found in the respective dictionary.
- A blank cell means that the dictionary has not been checked.
- A slash (/) separates variant pronunciations signs. The order of the variant pronunciation symbols is the same as in the source.
- Smaller text (like so) highlights variant pronunciations that are not preferred (only some dictionaries make such a distinction).
- A comma (,) separates different pronunciation depending on the word or depending on the region. The differences are explained in a footnote or by broadly specifying the region.
Checked vowels
WP | example word |
EPD 1930 |
EPD 2003 |
Longman | OALD | OED2 | dict | SOED | OED3 | K&K | Mac | WL | CUBE | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (GA) | (ES) | |||||||||
/æ/ | trap | æ | æ | æ | æ | æ | æ | æ | æ | æ | æ | a | a | æ | æ | æ | æ | æ | a | |
/ær/ | _V | carry | ær | ær | er/ær | ær | ær | ær | ær | ær | ær | ær | ar | ar | ɛr | ær | ær | ær | ær | aɹ |
/ɛ/ | dress | e | e | e | e | e | e | e | ɛ | ɛ | ɛ | ɛ | ɛ | ɛ | ɛ | ɛ | ɛ | e | ɛ | |
/ɛr/ | _V | merry | er | er | er | er | er | er | er | ɛr | ɛr | ɛr | ɛr | ɛr | ɛr | ɛr | ɛr | ɛr | er | ɛɹ |
/ɪ/ | kit | i | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | |
/ɪr/ | _V | mirror | ir | ɪr | ɪr | ɪr | ɪr | ɪr | ɪr | ɪr | ɪr | ɪr | ɪr | ɪr | ɪr | ɪr | ɪr | ɪr | ɪr | ɪɹ |
/ɒ/ | lot | ɔ | ɒ | ɑː | ɒ | ɑː | ɒ | ɒ | ɒ | ɒ | ɒ | ɒ | ɒ | ɑ | ɑ | ɑ | ɒ | o | ɔ | |
/ɒr/ | _V | forage | ɔr | ɒr | ɔːr | ɒr | ɔːr/ɑː | ɒr | ɔːr/ɑːr | ɒr | ɒr | ɔr/ɒr | ɒr | ɒr | ɔr/ɑr | ɔr/ɑr/ɒr | ɔr/ɑr/ɒr | ɒr | or, AE: ɔr |
ɔɹ |
/ʊ/ | foot | u | ʊ | ʊ | ʊ | ʊ | ʊ | ʊ | ʊ | ʊ | ʊ | ʊ | ʊ | ʊ | ᴜ | ᴜ | ʊ | ʊ | ɵ | |
/ʊr/ | _V | courier | ur | ʊr | ʊr | ʊr/ | ɝː/ʊr | ʊr | ʊr | ʊr/ʊər | ʊər | ɜr/ʊər | ʊr | ʊr/ʌr/ʊər | ʊr/ər | ᴜr/ɝ | ᴜr/ɜr/ʌr/ɝ | ʊr | ʊr, AE: ʊr/ɜ |
ɵɹ |
/ʌ/ | strut | ʌ | ʌ | ʌ | ʌ | ʌ | ʌ | ʌ | ʌ | ʌ | ʌ | ʌ | ʌ | ə | ʌ | ʌ | ʌ | ʌ | ʌ | |
/ʌr/ | _V | hurry | ʌr | ʌr | ɝ | ʌr | ɝː | ʌr | ɜːr | ʌr | ʌr | ɜr/ʌr | ʌr | ʌr | ər | ɝ | ɜr/ʌr/ɝ | ʌr | ʌr, AE: ɜ |
ʌɹ |
WP | example word |
EPD 1930 |
EPD 2003 |
Longman | OALD | OED2 | dict | SOED | OED3 | K&K | Mac | WL | CUBE | |||||||
(BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (GA) | (ES) |
Free vowels
WP | example word |
EPD 1930 |
EPD 2003 |
Longman | OALD | OED2 | dict | SOED | OED3 | K&K | Mac | WL | CUBE | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (GA) | (ES) | |||||||||
/ɑː/ | palm | ɑː | ɑː | ɑː | ɑː | ɑː | ɑː | ɑː | ɑː | ɑː | ɑ | ɑː | ɑː | ɑ | ɑ | ɑ | a | ɑ | ɑː | |
/ɑːr/ | _∅ | car | ɑː* | ɑːr | ɑːr | ɑː | ɑːr | ɑː(r) | ɑːr | ɑː(r) | ɑː | ɑr | ɑː | ɑː | ɑr | ɑr | ɑː(r | a | ɑ(r) | ɑː |
_C | start | ɑː | ɑː | ɑːr | ɑː | ɑːr | ɑː | ɑːr | ɑː | ɑː | ɑr | ɑː | ɑː | ɑr | ɑr | ɑː | a | ɑ, AE: ɑr |
ɑː | |
_V | safari, starry |
ɑːr | ɑː.r | ɑːr | ɑːr | ɑːr | ɑːr | ɑːr | ɑːr | ɑːr | ɑr | ɑːr | ɑːr | ɑr | ɑr | ɑr | ar | ɑr | ɑːɹ | |
/aɪ/ | price | ai | aɪ | aɪ | aɪ | aɪ | aɪ | aɪ | aɪ | aɪ | aɪ | ʌɪ | ʌɪ | aɪ | aɪ | aɪ | aɪ | ɑɪ | ɑj | |
/aɪər/ | _∅ | fire | aiə* | aɪər | aɪɚ | aɪ‿ə | aɪ‿ər | aɪə(r) | aɪər | aɪə(r)[a] | aɪə[a] | aɪər[a] | ʌɪə | ʌɪə | aɪ(ə)r | aɪr | aɪə(r | aɪə | ɑɪə(r) | ɑjə |
_C | fireman | aiə | aɪə | aɪɚ | aɪ‿ə | aɪ‿ər | aɪə | aɪər | aɪə | aɪə | aɪər | ʌɪə | ʌɪə | aɪ(ə)r | aɪr | aɪə | aɪə | ɑɪə, AE: ɑɪər |
ɑjə | |
_V | irony, firing | aiər | aɪə.r, aɪə.r[b] | aɪ.r, aɪɚ[c] | aɪər, aɪ‿ər[d] | aɪər, aɪ‿ər[e] | aɪr | aɪr | aɪər | aɪr | aɪ r | ʌɪr, ʌɪər[f] | ʌɪr, ʌɪər[g] | aɪr, aɪ(ə)r[h] | aɪr | aɪr | aɪər | ɑɪər | ɑjɹ | |
/aɪ.ər/ | _∅ | flyer, higher |
aiə* | aɪ.ər | aɪ.ɚ | aɪ‿ə | aɪ‿ər | aɪə(r) | aɪər | aɪə(r) | aɪə | aɪ ər | ʌɪə | ʌɪə | aɪər | aɪɚ | aɪ•ə(r | aɪə | ɑɪə(r) | ɑjə |
/aʊ/ | mouth | au | aʊ | aʊ | aʊ | aʊ | aʊ | aʊ | aʊ | aʊ | aʊ | aʊ | aʊ | aʊ | aᴜ | aᴜ | aʊ | ɑʊ | aw | |
/aʊər/ | _∅ | flour, hour |
auə* | aʊər | aʊr, aʊr/aʊɚ[i] | aʊ‿ə | aʊ‿ər | aʊə(r) | aʊər | aʊə(r)[a] | aʊə | aʊər/aʊ ər | aʊə | aʊə[a] | aʊ(ə)r[a] | aᴜr | aᴜə(r | aʊə | ɑʊə(r) | ɑwə |
_C | hourglass, hourly |
auə | aʊə | aʊr/aʊɚ | aʊ‿ə | aʊ‿ər | aʊə | aʊər | aʊə | aʊə | aʊər/aʊ ər | aʊə | aʊə | aʊər | aᴜr | aᴜə | aʊə | ɑwə | ||
_V | floury | auər | aʊə.r | aʊə.r | aʊ‿ər | aʊ‿ər | aʊər | aʊər | aʊər | aʊər[j] | aʊər/aʊ ə r | aʊər | aʊər | aᴜr | aᴜər | aʊər | ɑwɹ | |||
/aʊ.ər/ | _∅ | flower | auə* | aʊər | aʊɚ | aʊ‿ə | aʊ‿ər | aʊə(r) | aʊər | aʊə(r) | aʊə | aʊ ər | aʊə | aʊə/aʊə[a] | aʊər | aᴜɚ/aᴜr | aᴜ•ə(r/aᴜə(r | aʊə | ɑʊə(r) | ɑwə |
_C | flowerbed | auə | aʊə | aʊɚ | aʊ‿ə | aʊ‿ər | aʊə | aʊər | aʊə | aʊə[k] | aʊər | aʊə | aᴜr | aᴜə | aʊə | ɑʊə, AE: ɑʊər |
ɑwə | |||
_V | flowery | auər | aʊə.r | aʊɚ | aʊ‿ər | aʊ‿ər | aʊər | aʊər | aʊər | aʊər | aʊ ə r | aʊər | aʊər | aʊ(r)r | aᴜr | aᴜər | aʊər | ɑwəɹ | ||
/eɪ/ | face | ei | eɪ | eɪ | eɪ | eɪ | eɪ | eɪ | eɪ | eɪ | eɪ | eɪ | eɪ | eɪ | e | e | eɪ | eɪ | ɛj | |
/ɛər/ | _∅ | square | ɛə* | eər | er | eə | eǝr/æər | eə(r) | er | ɛə(r) | ɛə | ɛər | ɛː | ɛː | ɛ(ə)r | ɛr/ær | æə(r, E: ɛə(r |
ɛə | eə, AE: eər |
ɛː |
_C | bairn | ɛə | eə | er | eə | eǝr | eə | er | ɛə | ɛə | ɛər | ɛː | ɛː | ɛr | ɛr/ær/er | æə/eə, E: ɛə |
ɛə | eə, AE: eər |
ɛː | |
_V | fairy | ɛər | eə.r | er | eər | eər | er | ɛər | ɛər | ɛər | ɛːr | ɛːr | ɛr | ɛr/ɛːr/ær | ɛr/ɛːr/ær, S: ær/er |
ɛər | eər | ɛːɹ | ||
/eɪ.ər/ | _∅ | prayer[l], layer |
eiə* | eɪ.ər, eɪ.ər/eər[m] | eɪ.ɚ | eɪ ǝ | eɪ ǝr | eɪə(r)/eə(r) | er | eɪə(r) | eɪə | eɪ ər | eɪə | eɪə | eɪər/ɛ(ə)r | e•ɚ | e•ə(r | eɪə | eɪə(r) | ɛjə |
/iː/ | fleece | iː | iː | iː | iː | iː | iː | iː | iː | iː | i | iː | iː | i | i | i | i | i | ɪj | |
/ɪər/ | _∅ | near | iə* | ɪər | ɪr | ɪə | ɪǝr | ɪə(r) | ɪr | ɪə(r) | ɪə | ɪər | ɪə | ɪə | ɪ(ə)r | ɪr | ɪə(r | ɪə | ɪə(r) | ɪː |
_C | beard | iə | ɪə | ɪr | ɪə | ɪǝr | ɪə | ɪr | ɪə | ɪə | ɪər | ɪə | ɪə | ɪ(ə)r | ɪr | ɪə | ɪə | ɪə, AE: ɪər |
ɪː | |
_V | eerie | iər | ɪə.r | ɪr | ɪər | ɪr | ɪər | ɪr | iːr | ɪər | ɪər | ɪər | ɪər | ɪr | ɪr/ir | ɪr/ir | ɪər | ɪər | ɪːɹ | |
/iːər/ | _∅ | seer, freer |
i(ː)ə* | iː.ər/ɪər, iː.ər[n] | iː.ɚ | iː‿ə | iː‿ər | ɪə(r) | ɪr | ɪə(r)/iːə(r), iːə(r)[o] | iːə[p] | i ər | ɪə/iːə | iːə/ɪə | iər/ɪ(ə)r | iɚ | i•ə(r | ɪə | ɪə(r) | ɪjə |
/ɔː/ | thought | ɔː | ɔː | ɑː/ɔː | ɔː | ɑː | ɔː | ɔː | ɔː | ɔː | ɔ | ɔː | ɔː | ɔ | ɔ | ɔ | ɔ | ɔ | oː | |
/ɔːr/ | _∅ | war | ɔː*/ɔə* | ɔːr | ɔːr | ɔː | ɔːr | ɔː(r) | ɔːr | ɔː(r) | ɔː | ɔr | ɔː | ɔː | ɔ(ə)r | ɔr | ɔə(r | ɔ | ɔ(r) | oː |
_C | north | ɔː | ɔː | ɔːr | ɔː | ɔːr | ɔː | ɔːr | ɔː | ɔː | ɔr | ɔː | ɔː | ɔ(ə)r | ɔr | ɔə | ɔ | ɔ, AE: ɔr |
oː | |
_V | aural | ɔːr | ɔː.r | ɔːr | ɔːr | ɔːr | ɔːr | ɔːr | ɔːr | ɔːr | ɔr | ɔːr | ɔːr | ɔr | ɔr | ɔr | ɔr | ɔr | oːɹ | |
/ɔːər/ | _∅ | drawer[q], rawer |
ɔːə* | ɔː.ər | ɑː.ɚ/ɔː.ɚ | ɔːr ə | ɔː‿ər/ɑː‿ər | ɔːə(r) | ɔːər | ɔːə(r) | ɔːə | ɔ ər | ɔː(r)ə | ɔːə | ɔ•ɚ | ɔ•ə(r | ɔə | ɔə(r) | ||
/oʊ/ | goat | ou | əʊ | oʊ | əʊ | oʊ | əʊ | oʊ | əʊ | əʊ | oʊ | əʊ | əʊ | oʊ | o | o | oʊ | əʊ | əw | |
/ɔːr/ | _∅ | ore | ɔː*/ɔə* | ɔːr | ɔːr | ɔː | ɔːr/oʊr | ɔː(r) | ɔːr | ɔə(r) | ɔː | ɔr/oʊr | ɔː | ɔ(ə)r | or/ɔr | oə(r | ɔ | ɔ(r) | oː | |
_C | force | ɔː | ɔː | ɔːr | ɔː | ɔːr/oʊr | ɔː | ɔːr | ɔə | ɔː | ɔr/oʊr | ɔː | ɔː | ɔ(ə)r | or/ɔr | oə | ɔ | ɔ, AE: ɔr |
oː | |
_V | oral | ɔːr | ɔː.r | ɔːr | ɔːr | ɔːr/oʊr | ɔːr | ɔːr | ɔər | ɔːr/ɒr | ɔr/oʊr | ɔːr | ɔːr | ɔr | or/ɔr | or/ɔr, S: or |
ɒr | ɔr, AE: or |
oːɹ | |
/oʊ.ər/ | _∅ | mower, lower[r] |
ouə* | əʊ.ər | oʊ.ɚ | əʊ ə | oʊ ər | əʊə(r) | oʊər | əʊə(r) | əʊə | oʊ ər | əʊə | əʊə | oʊər | o•ə(r | o•ə(r | oʊə | əʊə, AE: əʊər |
əwə |
/ɔɪ/ | choice | ɔi | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔɪ | oj | |
/ɔɪər/ | _∅ | coir | ɔiə* | ɔɪər | ɔɪr | ɔɪ ə | ɔɪər | ɔɪə(r) | ɔɪər | ɔɪə(r) | ɔɪə[a] | ɔɪr | ɔɪə | ɔɪə | ɔɪr | ɔɪə(r | ɔɪə | ojə | ||
/ɔɪ.ər/ | _∅ | employer | ɔiə* | ɔɪ.ər | ɔɪ.ɚ | ɔɪ ə | ɔɪ ər | ɔɪə(r) | ɔɪər | ɔɪə(r) | ɔɪə | ɔɪ ər | ɔɪə | ɔɪə | ɔɪ(j)ər/ɔjər | uə/ɔjɚ | ɔɪ•ə(r/ɔjə(r | ɔɪə | ojə | |
/uː/ | goose | uː | uː | uː | uː | uː | uː | uː | uː | uː | u | uː | uː | u | u | u | u | u | ʉw | |
/ʊər/ | _∅ | cure | uə*/oə*/ɔə*/ɔː* | ʊə | ʊr | ʊə/ɔː | ʊər | ʊə(r) | ʊr | ʊə(r) | ʊə | ʊər | ʊə | ʊə/ɔː | ʊ(ə)r | ᴜr | ᴜə(r | uə/ʊə | ʊə(r) | ɵː/oː[s] |
_C | procurement, poorness |
uə/oə/ɔə/ɔː | ʊə/ɔː, ɔː/ʊə[t] | ʊr | ɔː/ʊə | ʊr/ɔːr | ʊə, ɔː/ʊə[u] | ʊr, ɔːr/ʊr[v] | ʊə | ʊə | ʊər | ʊə | ʊə/ɔː | ur/ʊr | ᴜr | ᴜə/oə/ɔə | ɔ | ʊə/ɔ, AE: ʊər |
ɵː, oː[w] | |
_V | fury | uər/oər/ɔər/ɔːr | ʊə.r | ʊr | ʊər/ɔːr | ʊr | ʊər | ʊr | ʊər | ʊər | ʊər | ʊər | ʊər/ɔːr | ur, ʊr[x] | ᴜr | ᴜr | ur | ʊər | ɵːɹ/oːɹ | |
/uːər/ | _∅ | fewer, sewer[y] |
uə*/oə* | uː.ər, ʊər[z] | uː.ɚ | uː‿ə | uː‿ər | uːə(r) | uːər | uːə(r) | uːə | u ər | uːə | uːə | uər/ʊər | u•ɚ | u•ə(r | uə | uə(r) | ʉwə |
/ɜːr/ | _∅ | fur | əː* | ɜːr | ɝː | ɜː | ɝː | ɜː(r) | ɜːr | ɜː(r) | ɜː | ɜr | əː | əː | ər | ɝ | ɜ(r/ɝ | ɜ | ɜ | əː |
_C | nurse | əː | ɜː | ɝː | ɜː | ɝː | ɜː | ɜːr | ɜː | ɜː | ɜr | əː | əː | ər | ɝ | ɜ/ɝ | ɜ | ɜ | əː | |
_V | furry | əːr | ɜː.r | ɝː | ɜːr | ɝː | ɜːr | ɜːr | ɜːr | ɜːr | ɜr | əːr | əːr | ər | ɝ | ɜr/ɝ | ɜr | ɜr | əːɹ | |
WP | example word |
EPD 1930 |
EPD 2003 |
Longman | OALD | OED2 | dict | SOED | OED3 | K&K | Mac | WL | CUBE | |||||||
(BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (GA) | (ES) |
- ^ a b c d e f g h If there are no other syllables, the word bears no stress mark, indicating a mono-syllabic pronunciation.
- ^ EPD (BE): /aɪə.r/ in irony, Irish; /aɪə.r/ in firing.
- ^ EPD (AE): /aɪ.r/ in irony, Irish; /aɪɚ/ in firing.
- ^ Longman (BE): /aɪər/ in irony; /aɪ‿ər/ in firing.
- ^ Longman (AE): /aɪər/ in irony; /aɪ‿ər/ in firing.
- ^ SOED: /ʌɪr/ in irony; /ʌɪər/ in firing.
- ^ OED3 (BE): /ʌɪr/ in irony; /ʌɪər/ in firing.
- ^ OED3 (AE): /aɪr/ in irony; /aɪ(ə)r/ in firing.
- ^ EPD (AE): /aʊr/ in flour; /aʊr/ or /aʊɚ/ in hour.
- ^ dict (BE): In dowry.
- ^ dict (BE): In flowerless.
- ^ Person who prays.
- ^ EPD (BE): /eɪ.ər/ in prayer; /eɪ.ər/ or /eər/ in layer.
- ^ EPD (BE): /iː.ər/ or /ɪər/ in seer; /iː.ər/ in freer.
- ^ /ɪə(r)/ or /iːə(r)/ in seer; /iːə(r)/ in freer.
- ^ dict (BE): In overseer.
- ^ Person who draws.
- ^ Cause to descend, or comp. of low.
- ^ See english speech services | The British English vowel system.
- ^ EPD (BE): /ʊə/ or /ɔː/ in procurement; /ɔː/ or /ʊə/ in poorhouse.
- ^ OALD (BE): /ʊə/ in procurement; /ɔː/ or /ʊə/ in poorhouse.
- ^ OALD (AE): /ʊr/ in procurement; /ɔːr/ or /ʊr/ in poorhouse.
- ^ CUBE: /ɵː/ in procurement; /oː/ in poorhouse.
- ^ OED3 (AE): /ur/ in fury; /ʊr/ in lurid.
- ^ Drain.
- ^ EPD (BE): /uː.ər/ in fewer; /ʊər/ in sewer.
Reduced vowels
WP | example word |
EPD 1930 |
EPD 2003 |
Longman | OALD | OED2 | dict | SOED | OED3 | K&K | Mac | WL | CUBE | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (GA) | (ES) | |||||||||
/ə/ | comma, ago | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | |
/ən/ | kitten | n | ən | ən | ən | ən | n | n | (ə)n | ən | n | (ə)n | n̩ | ən | n̩ | n̩ | n | n | ən | |
/əm/ | rhythm | m | əm | əm | əm | əm | əm | əm | (ə)m | əm | əm | əm | m̩ | əm | əm/m̩ | əm/m̩ | əm | m | əm | |
/əl/ | middle | l | l̩ | l̩ | əl | əl | l | l | (ə)l | əl | l | (ə)l | l̩/əl | (ə)l | l̩ | l̩ | l | l | əl | |
/ər/ | _∅ | letter | ə* | ər | ɚ | ə | ər | ə(r) | ər | ə(r) | ə | ər | ə | ə | ər | ɚ | ə(r) | ə | ə(r) | ə |
_C | bittersweet | ə | ə | ɚ | ə | ər | ə | ər | ə | ə | ər | ə | ə | ər | ɚ | ɚ | ə | ə | ||
_V | murderer | ər | ər | ɚ | ‿ər | ər | ər | ər | ər | ər[a] | ər | (ə)r | (ə)r | ər | ər | ər | ər | ər | əɹ | |
/i/ | happy | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | ɪ | ɪ | i | i | i | i | ɪ | ɪ | i | ɪ | ɪj | |
/u/ | situation, actuate | u | u | u | u | u | u | u | uː | ʊ | u | ʊ | ʊ | əw | ᴜ/əw[b] | ᴜ/əw[c] | u | ʊ | ʉw | |
/ɪ, ə/ | roses, enough, enounce, emission, mistress |
i, i/ə, i/iː, i(ː)[d] | ɪ, ɪ/ə, ə/ɪ, ɪ/iː[e] | ɪ, ɪ/ə, ɪ/iː[f] | ɪ/ə, ɪ/ə/iː, ɪ/iː, ə/ɪ[g] | ə, ɪ/ə, ɪ/ə/iː, ɪ/iː, ə/ɪ[h] | ɪ, ə, i[i] | ɪ, ə, i[j] | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | ɪ, iː/ɪ[k] | ɪ, ᵻ[l] | ɪ, ə[m] | ɪ, ə/ɪ, i[n] | ɪ, ə/ɪ, i[o] | ə, ə/i, i[p] | ɪ, ɪ/ə, ə/ɪ[q] | ɪ, ə[r] | |
/oʊ, ə/ | follow, cooperate, omission, kilogram |
ou, ou, o/ou/ə, o/ə[s] | əʊ, əʊ[t] | oʊ, oʊ/ə[u] | əʊ, əʊ, ə[v] | oʊ, oʊ/ə, ə[w] | əʊ, ə[x] | oʊ, ə[y] | əʊ, ə[z] | əʊ | oʊ, ə[aa] | əʊ, ə(ʊ), ə[ab] | əʊ, ə(ʊ), ə[ac] | oʊ, oʊ/ə, ə[ad] | o/ə, o, ə[ae] | o/ə, o, ə[af] | oʊ, oʊ/ə, ə[ag] | əʊ, ə/əʊ, ə[ah] | əw, ə[ai] | |
/ʊ, ə/ | beautiful, curriculum | u, u/ə[aj] | ə/ʊ, ə/ʊ[ak] | ə/ʊ, ə[al] | ə/ʊ, ʊ/ə[am] | ə/ʊ, ə[an] | –, ə[ao] | –, ə[ap] | ʊ | ʊ | ə | ʊ/(ə), ʊ[aq] | (ᵿ), ᵿ[ar] | ə | ə[as] | ə[at] | ʊ, ə[au] | –, ʊ[av] | ə | |
WP | example word |
EPD 1930 |
EPD 2003 |
Longman | OALD | OED2 | dict | SOED | OED3 | K&K | Mac | WL | CUBE | |||||||
(BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (BE) | (AE) | (GA) | (ES) |
- ^ dict (BE): In murderous.
- ^ K&K (GA): /ˌsɪtʃᴜˈeʃən/ or /ˌsɪtʃəˈweʃən/.
- ^ K&K (ES): /ˌsɪtʃᴜˈeʃən/ or /ˌsɪtʃəˈweʃən/.
- ^ EPD 1930: /i/ in roses, mistress; /i/ or /ə/ in enough; /i/ or /iː/ in emission; /i(ː)/ in enounce.
- ^ EPD (BE): /ɪ/ in roses, enounce; /ɪ/ or /ə/ in enough; /ə/ or /ɪ/ in mistress; /ɪ/ or /iː/ in emission.
- ^ EPD (AE): /ɪ/ in roses, enounce, mistres; /ɪ/ or /ə/ in enough; /ɪ/ or /iː/ in emission.
- ^ Longman (BE): /ɪ/ or /ə/ in roses, enough; /ɪ/ or /ə, iː/ in emission; /ɪ/ or /iː/ in enounce; /ə/ or /ɪ/ in mistress.
- ^ Longman (AE): /ə/ in roses; /ɪ/ or /ə/ in enough; /ɪ/ or /ə, iː/ in emission; /ɪ/ or /iː/ in enounce; /ə/ or /ɪ/ in mistress.
- ^ OALD (BE): /ɪ/ in enough; /ə/ in mistress; /i/ in emission.
- ^ OALD (AE): /ɪ/ in enough; /ə/ in mistress; /i/ in emission.
- ^ SOED: /ɪ/ in enough, emission, mistress; /iː/ or /ɪ/ in enounce.
- ^ OED3 (BE): /ɪ/ in enough, enounce, emission, react; /ᵻ/ in mistress, design, beautiful.
- ^ OED3 (AE): /ɪ/ in enough, enounce, emission; /ə/ in mistress.
- ^ K&K (GA): /ɪ/ in roses, emission, mistress; /ə/ or /ɪ/ in enough; /i/ in enounce.
- ^ K&K (ES): /ɪ/ in roses, emission, mistress; /ə/ or /ɪ/ in enough; /i/ in enounce.
- ^ Mac: /ə/ in roses, mistress; /ə/ or /i/ in emission, enough; /i/ in enounce.
- ^ WL: /ɪ/ in emission; /ɪ/ or /ə/ in enough; /ə/ or /ɪ/ in mistress.
- ^ CUBE: /ɪ/ in roses, enough, emission; /ə/ in mistress.
- ^ EPD 1930: /ou/ in follow; /ou/ in cooperate; /o/ or /ou/, /ə/ in omission; /o/ or /ə/ in kilogram.
- ^ EPD (BE): /əʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /əʊ/ in omission, kilogram.
- ^ EPD (AE): /oʊ/ in follow, cooperate, omission; /oʊ/ or /ə/ in kilogram.
- ^ Longman (BE): /əʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /əʊ/ in omission, kilobyte; /ə/ in kilogram.
- ^ Longman (AE): /oʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /oʊ/ or /ə/ in omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
- ^ OALD (BE): /əʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /ə/ in omission, kilogram.
- ^ OALD (AE): /oʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /ə/ in omission, kilogram.
- ^ OED2: /əʊ/ in follow, cooperate, omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
- ^ dict (AE): /oʊ/ in cooperate, follow, omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
- ^ SOED: /əʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /ə(ʊ)/ in omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
- ^ OED3 (BE): /əʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /ə(ʊ)/ in omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
- ^ OED (AE): /oʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /oʊ/ or /ə/ in omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
- ^ K&K (GA): /o/ or /ə/ in follow; /o/ in cooperate, omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
- ^ K&K (ES): /o/ or /ə/ in follow; /o/ in cooperate, omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
- ^ Mac: /oʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /oʊ/ or /ə/ omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
- ^ WL: /əʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /ə/ or /əʊ/ in omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
- ^ CUBE: /əw/ in follow, cooperate; /ə/ in omission, kilogram.
- ^ EPD 1930: /u/ in beautiful; /u/ or /ə/ in curriculum.
- ^ EPD (BE): /ə/ or /ʊ/ in beautiful; /ə/ or /ʊ/ in curriculum.
- ^ EPD (AE): /ə/ or /ʊ/ in beautiful; /ə/ in curriculum.
- ^ Longman (BE): /ə/ or /ʊ/ in beautiful; /ʊ/ or /ə/ in curriculum.
- ^ Longman (AE): /ə/ or /ʊ/ in beautiful; /ə/ in curriculum.
- ^ OALD (BE): – in beautiful /ˈbjuːtɪfl/; /ə/ in curriculum.
- ^ OALD (BE): – in beautiful /ˈbjuːtɪfl/; /ə/ in curriculum.
- ^ SOED: /ʊ/ or /(ə)/ in beautiful; /ʊ/ in curriculum.
- ^ OED3 (BE): /(ᵿ)/ in beautiful; /ᵿ/ in pendulum.
- ^ K&K (GA): /ə/ in beautiful, curriculum.
- ^ K&K (ES): /ə/ in beautiful, curriculum.
- ^ Mac: /ʊ/ in beautiful; /ə/ in curriculum.
- ^ WL: – in beautiful /ˈbjutəfl/; /ʊ/ in curriculum.
Stress
Stress need not be included in the notation of a monosyllabic word since it is self-evident. In phrases, however, it is advised to include stress even of a monosyllabic word because a lack of stress may indicate a different pronunciation than intended. For example, in the name Zack de la Rocha, Zack and Rocha have stress, but de la does not: /ˈzæk dɛlə ˈroʊtʃə/. It would therefore convey an incorrect pronunciation to leave the stress mark off Zack.
OED2 is followed here. However, several dictionaries also mark full (unreduced) vowels as having secondary stress when they come after the primary stress, even though they are not actually stressed: cerebrate, dict.com /ˈsɛrəˌbreɪt/, OED2 (ˈsɛrɪbreɪt). This practice is avoided on Wikipedia; if you have a word transcribed /ˈCVˌCV/, it should probably be /ˈCVCV/: /ˈsɛrɪbreɪt/.
References
- Jones, Daniel (1930) [1917]. An English Pronouncing Dictionary (Revised ed.). London, Toronto: J. M. Dent & Sons.
- Jones, Daniel (2003) [1917]. English Pronouncing Dictionary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
{{cite book}}
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suggested) (help) - Kenyon, John Samuel; Knott, Thomas Albert (1953). A Pronouncing Dictionary of American English. Springfield, Mass.: Merriam.
- The Macquarie Dictionary. McMahons Point, NSW, Australia: Macquary Library. 1982.
- Wells, J. C. (2003) [1990]. Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. Longman.
- Windsor Lewis, J. (1972). A Concise Pronouncing Dictionary of British and American English. London: Oxford University Press.