International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) Pronunciation Guide
Introduction to International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a system of phonetic notation used to represent the sounds of human language. It provides a standardized way to transcribe the pronunciation of words across different languages. This article presents a comprehensive table of the 48 International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbols, along with their corresponding pronunciation in English.
Consonant Sounds
The following table presents the 24 consonant sounds of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) in English:
| IPA Symbol | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| /p/ | p as in \"pat\" |
| /b/ | b as in \"bat\" |
| /t/ | t as in \"top\" |
| /d/ | d as in \"dog\" |
| /k/ | k as in \"kid\" |
| /g/ | g as in \"game\" |
| /f/ | f as in \"fun\" |
| /v/ | v as in \"van\" |
| /θ/ | th as in \"think\" |
| /ð/ | th as in \"this\" |
| /s/ | s as in \"sun\" |
| /z/ | z as in \"zip\" |
| /ʃ/ | sh as in \"she\" |
| /ʒ/ | zh as in \"treasure\" |
| /h/ | h as in \"hat\" |
| /m/ | m as in \"map\" |
| /n/ | n as in \"no\" |
| /ŋ/ | ng as in \"sing\" |
| /r/ | r as in \"red\" |
| /l/ | l as in \"lot\" |
| /j/ | y as in \"yes\" |
| /w/ | w as in \"win\" |
| /ʔ/ | glottal stop as in \"uh-oh\" |
Vowel Sounds
The following table presents the 20 vowel sounds of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) in English:
| IPA Symbol | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| /i:/ | ee as in \"see\" |
| /ɪ/ | ih as in \"sit\" |
| /e/ | eh as in \"met\" |
| /æ/ | ah as in \"cat\" |
| /ɑ:/ | aw as in \"call\" |
| /ɔ:/ | or as in \"mall\" |
| /ʊ/ | oo as in \"foot\" |
| /u:/ | oo as in \"food\" |
| /ʌ/ | uh as in \"cut\" |
| /ə/ | uh as in \"about\" |
| /ɛ/ | eh as in \"pet\" |
| /ɜ:/ | er as in \"bird\" |
| /ʃ/ | ee as in \"sheep\" |
| /ʒ/ | e as in \"measure\" |
| /aɪ/ | ai as in \"bite\" |
| /aʊ/ | ow as in \"house\" |
| /ɔɪ/ | oy as in \"boy\" |
| /eɪ/ | ay as in \"say\" |
| /oʊ/ | oh as in \"go\" |
| /ju:/ | yoo as in \"you\" |
Diphthong Sounds
The following table presents the 4 diphthong sounds of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) in English:
| IPA Symbol | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| /eɪ/ | ay as in \"play\" |
| /aɪ/ | ai as in \"try\" |
| /ɔɪ/ | oy as in \"boy\" |
| /aʊ/ | ow as in \"now\" |
In conclusion, the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) provides a valuable tool for accurately representing the sounds of different languages. By familiarizing ourselves with this system, we can improve our understanding and pronunciation of foreign words and languages.
