English phonemes: Difference between revisions
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===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /eə/ ãre ãir ãyr ãyer éãr ére=== | ===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /eə/ ãre ãir ãyr ãyer éãr ére=== | ||
'''ãre''' '''fãre''' ''money, food'' '''spãre shãre pãre''' ''cut'' '''bãre''' ''nude'' '''cãre wãres''' ''goods'' | '''ãre''': '''fãre''' ''money, food'' '''spãre shãre pãre''' ''cut'' '''bãre''' ''nude'' '''cãre wãres''' ''goods'' | ||
'''stãre''' ''look | '''stãre''' ''look | ||
ãr before y: wãry vãry scãry Mãry | '''ãr''': before '''y''': '''wãry vãry scãry Mãry | ||
before i: vâriable shãring | before '''i''': '''vâriable shãring | ||
ãir final: ãir hãir fãir reasonable, funfair lãir stãir step flãir | '''ãir''': final: '''ãir''' ''breathe'' '''hãir fãir''' ''reasonable, funfair'' '''lãir stãir''' ''step'' '''flãir | ||
before y: fãiry hãiry | |||
before '''y''': '''fãiry hãiry | |||
ãyr Ãyrshire | '''ãyr''': '''Ãyrshire | ||
ãyer prãyer | '''ãyer''': '''prãyer | ||
éãr béãr animal, tolerate, carry téãr rip wéãr clothes péãr fruit | '''éãr''': '''béãr''' ''animal, tolerate, carry'' '''téãr''' ''rip'' '''wéãr''' ''clothes'' '''péãr''' ''fruit'' | ||
ére whére place thére ére | '''ére''': '''whére''' ''place'' '''thére''' ''here'' '''ére''' ''before'' |
Revision as of 17:00, 16 November 2007
The sounds and their spellings
A phoneme is a distinct unit of sound; spellings are ways of writing these sounds. English phonemes have different spellings depending on a word's provenance and history. This is a list of the phonemes and all their spellings.
The áccents on bold example words indicate stressed vowels and their pronunciation. An equals sign shows homophones, with words in italics suggesting meaning: sêen saw = scêne scenic, drama, crime. The bullet (●) represents any consonant. AmE = American English, BrE = British English.
Vowels and diphthongs
IPA /i:/ ê êa êe ê●e êi ìê aê oê ì ỳ êỳ êo
ê: bê mê récipê catástrophê Penélopê Lêthê hypërbolê mêthane sêrum dêvious mêdia rêtail dêmon Êly mêtre BrE distance, poem
êa: sêa water lêave hêat sêat bêat hit nêat êasy mêal drêam têam hêath
êe: sêe vision frêe trêe fêel whêel grêed fêed spêed bêet sugar êel rêel
ê●e: Pêter scêne êven fêver mêter all AmE, BrE machine only complête compête
êi: after c: percêive recêive recêipt (-êit) concêit concêive cêiling; after w: wêird wêir (but: wìêld); sêize Shêila Nêil Nêill O´Nêill
ìê: before v: belìêve relìêve grìêve
aê: stressed, from Greek (BrE): Aêschylus encyclopaêdia; unstressed in Latin plurals: nébulae nôvae fŏrmulae
oê: BrE (AmE has ê alone) from Greek: Oêdipus amoêba foêtus oêstrogen oenólogy subpoêna
ì: from French: machìne Christìne magazìne nìche elìte
ỳ: normally unstressed: fúnny sílly crâzy lâzy êasy wítty dextérity Yvétte Yvónne; stressed: Lỳón Lỳse Mervỳna
êỳ: unstressed: nôsey pôsey láckey jóckey balôney álley Hàrvey
êo: pêople
IPA /ɪ/ í ý u o e ’ eí íe
í: sít fít sítter fítter fítting bít líd híd bíd stíll bíll Wílliam Bíll fíll línt tínt wríst pín tílt míddle ínch fíg bíg
ý: týpical sýnthesis sýnagogue sýmptom cýst mýstic mýth trýst Dýlan
u: business busy
o: women
e: unstressed: Jôneses Bíggses Báxes táxes cópses fléxes
’: unstressed: Jônes’s Bíggs’s Báx’s
eí: unstressed -feít: còunterfeít fŏrfeít sürfeít
íe: unstressed: pàrtíes fámilíes lórríes cárríes cárríed márríed pólicíes
IPA /e/ é éa ai u
é: béd Néd wét sét pén hén méss dréss pép séven eléven Dévon Édward Téd bréd breed cléver éver évery néver tén ténth dén crést
éa: déath bréath bréast déad héad bréad food héaven thréat thréaten
ai: said
u: bury
IPA /æ/ á
fát cát sát mát Ánthony ánt bág dágger fán pán áttic spásm cáttle brásh ásh
redundant i in: pláit
redundant e in Gáelic Scotland (= Gállic France); cf. Gâelic Ireland
This sound is never final.
American English uses a long version of á instead of BrE à except in fàther Coloràdo Chicàgo pajàmas (BrE pyjàmas) càlm quàlm bàlm àlms or when an r follows.
IPA /ɑ/ à àr àl ó
Words pronounced with à in both British and American English are:
à: fàther Chicàgo Coloràdo AmE pajàmas BrE pyjàmas
al: (silent l) càlm bàlm quàlm àlms
and whenever an r (always heard in AmE, silent final or before a consonant in BrE) follows:
àr: màr bàr càr vàrnish pàrk màrvel stàr scàr bizàrre hàrm àrm fàr càrt fàrmer scàr pàrt màrk stàrch pàrch màrch hàrd gàrden làrge
The following are pronounced à in BrE, a long á in AmE:
ā: Irān Irāq cān’t grānt āfter crāft lāugh grāph āunt dānce
before s: pāst fāst cāstle māster clāss ghāstly nāsty grāss lāst plāster cāst pāss tāsk blāst āsk
before th: rāther pāth bāth rāther lāther
āl: with silent l: hālf cālf hālve
ó in AmE is pronounced à as follows:
IPA /ɒ/ ó à
BrE only: AmE replaces this sound with à.
ó: hót gót spót bóther dóg dóll nót stóp lóst óften slób slóppy cróss nód ódd shóne óff tóffee
ough as -óff: cóugh tróugh
a:
after ẁ: ẁant ẁas ẁash ẁasp ẁarren ẁander ẁarrant
after ẁh: ẁhat
after sẁ: sẁap sẁan sẁab sẁamp
after qù: qùantity qùantum qùad qùash sqùash sqùad sqùabble
IPA /ɔ/ å åw åu åugh ŏr ŏre ŏrps ŏor ŏa ŏur ŏugh
The r is silent in BrE before a consonant, heard in AmE.
å: wåter ålso
before lk: chålk tålk stålk wålk bålk
before ll: åll fåll tåll båll
before lt: ålter fålter Wålter hålt althôugh
åw: såw see, tool åwful bråwl cråwl fåwn colour, deer, grovel bråwn clåw påw animal swårm wårm wårn wård jåw Shåw måw
åu: cåuse påuse fåult exhåust fåun god
åugh: cåught tåught åught nåughty Wåugh
ŏr: ŏr either fŏr nŏr cóndŏr fŏrt pŏrt sŏrt shŏrt whŏrl
ŏre: ŏre metal cŏre centre gŏre pŏre skin scŏre sŏre pain bŏre tedium, hole ignŏre deplŏre restŏre whŏre (h-) mŏre extra
ŏrps: cŏrps army
ŏor: dŏor pŏor broke, unfortunate flŏor bŏor rude mŏor land
ŏa: brŏad abrŏad
ŏar: ŏar boat bŏar animal sŏar fly
ŏur: fŏur pŏur mŏurn tŏurnament
ŏugh: fŏught bŏught sŏught brŏught
IPA /ʊ/ ù oò oùl où o
ù: pùt fùll pùsh bùsh bùll pùll cùshion
oò: goòd woòd soòt foòt woòl
oùl: shoùld coùld woùld
où: poùffe
o: woman wolf
IPA /u:/ û ûe û●e ûi oû oûgh oô eŵ ŵ o
û: gnû Stû flû ill gùrû êmû pûny Mûnich jûry Trûdi dûbious rûling mûtiny nûtrient
ûe: flûe chimney trûe blûe colour glûe cûe drama, billiards queûe wait (*kyû)
û•e: Jûne jûte flûte tûne dûpe Drûse trûth Rûth fûneral
ûi: frûit jûice slûice crûise
oû: groûp soûp coûp hit
oûgh: throûgh
oô: shoô soôn foôd broôd foôl schoôl toôl moôn troôp loôp droôp loôse choôse groôvy loôt toô also, much coô bird
eŵ: neŵ neŵs vieŵ cheŵ revieŵ Jeŵ bleŵ blow
ŵ: unstressed in Rŵánda
ŵo: tŵo 2
o: do who (*hû) shoe lose move prove to particle
IPA /ʌ/ ú oú ò òo
ú: nút cúp slút túck spún fún dúst rúst búst sún múck súck dúck
oú: doúble troúble soúthern; (-úff) toúgh enoúgh roúgh
ò after w: wòrry wònder wòn win
before n: frònt dòne nòne òne 1 (invisible w-: = wòn)
before -ve: lòve shòve glòve dòve
before -ther: òther anòther mòther bròther smòther
òo: before d: flòod blòod
IPA /ɜ:/ ër ëar ïr ür ÿr ör öur
Schwa lengthened, always with -r (silent in BrE)
ër: wëre përson vërve vërdant sërvant jërk fërn hërd tërn bird
ëar: hëard lëarn yëarn hëarse rehëarse ëarl pëarl dëarth
ïr: fïrst bïrd dïrt gïrl quïrk ïrk stïr whïrr dïrt shïrt skïrt flïrt cïrcus cïrcle cïrcuit bïrth gïrth fïrm fïr
ür: bürn türn round absürd chürch Türk fürtive blürt spürt hürt nürse
ÿr: mÿrtle mÿrrh Bÿrd
ör: only after w: wörk wörse wörst wörm wörd
öur: in -jöurn- and cöurt-: jöurney jöurnal adjöurn cöurteous cöurtesy
IPA /ə/, the schwa sound
An example of schwa (*shwà) is the neutral grunt which begins the word abòut (*əbòut). A shorter version of /ɜ/, never stressed, it can be spelt a, e, o or, less often, u, with or without a following r (which is silent in BrE if not followed by another vowel). It also appears as y in Béryl, Síbyl and síbyllîne - and it can be invisible before r and l.
First syllable: agô ahéad abòut again (-é-) abòve upón and in names beginning Mac- such as MacNêill - or McNêill (invisible version)
Second syllable: ígnorance pébble doùble Chîna sêater víctor bürsar quérulous lêmur fêmur vísion nâtion (-sion and -tion always have schwa) Cânaan dógs’re (informal use of apostrophe)
Third syllable: ígnorance decîder Éxeter Pámela precürsor exémplar ridículous invâsion
Fourth syllable: América Tanzanìa exécutor cálculator álligator unbelìêver abnegâtion
Fifth syllable: preváricator prevaricâtion extërminator
Invisible before liquid sounds r and l: cãre (which rhymes with prâyer) lãir (which is a one-syllable version of lâyer) ŏil (which rhymes with lŏyal) whîle (*wîyəl) fâil (*fâyəl) sêal (*sêeyəl) knêel down = Nêil, Nêill names (*nêeyəl)
IPA /eɪ/ â âi ây â●e âe âigh âu eâ èy èi èigh è●e
â: grâvy pâcy grâcious nâval navy nâvy ânal zâny stâble crâving bâgel potâto râzor BrE vâpour AmE vâpor
â●e: sâme gâme câme sâve bâse trâce pâce crâve lâser hâver râve nâvel stomach Jâmes hâzel pâge nâme tâme fâme flâme hâte gâte fâte lâte wâde câve brâve stâge grâde phâse time, moon = fâze confuse jâde fâde brâke speed lâne road bâne mâne horse gâte open hâte loathe
âi before l: nâil âil quâil fâil wâil tâil tâilor Tâylor before n: pâin stâin grâin trâin brâin drâin lâin lie detâin retâin remâin Câin mâin chief Mâine
before m: âim clâim mâim clâim âid mâid râid wâif mâize Crâig Hâig Hâigh (= Hâgue) gâit walk trâit trâitor
ây final: dây sây plây jây delây wây trây brây hây prây prayer slây kill
before -er: lâyer slâyer (but not prãyer)
âe: Gâelic Ireland Ísrâel mâelstrom phâeton
âigh: strâight Hâight Ashbury
âu: gâuge
eâ: greât breâk pieces, off
èy: thèy grèy Lèyton whèy fèy prèy on
èi: vèin vèil bèige rèin ride
èigh final: invèigh nèigh slèigh snow
before t: wèight frèight èight
è●e: crèpe
IPA /əʊ/ ô ôa ôe ô•e ôu ôugh ôw ew
ô with Latin-style suffixes: hôkum fôcus hôcus-pôcus
plus y, etc.: pôny hôly Tôny dôzy rôly-pôly nôsey bôgey phôney (or phony) Jôdie Jôni BrE côsy AmE côzy
final: sô therefore nô not gô frô lô behold cô-
before -ld: ôld côld gôld hôld sôld
also: grôss pôll vote
ôh: ôh dôh sôh music
ôa: before t: gôat côat ôat stôat bôat flôat
before k: clôak ôak
before d: gôad tôad rôad
before f: ôaf lôaf
before m: rôam wander (= Rôme) glôam
ôe final: tôe dôe Côe fôe hôe Jôe Pôe rôe wôe Defôe flôe ice
ô●e: hôme vôte nôte bôde explôde nôde tône lône cône pôle wood jôke dôze Rôme city rôte routine = wrôte write nôse expôse brôke spôke brôken spôken tôken
plus r: ôver Dôver clôver grôcer
oû: sôul
oûgh: dôugh bread althôugh thôugh
ôw: sôw seed knôw knowledge slôw grôw bestôw flôw water Ôwen môw lôw down crôw thrôw glôw
ew: sew needle
IPA /aɪ/ î îe î●e îgh îg ŷ ŷ●e ŷe eî
î: Î me hî greeting crîsis Îsis Chrîst fîery wîry shîny tîny lîme sublîme
unstressed: álibî nûclêî fránchîse mërchandîse
îe final: vîe lîe dîe dead tîe
î●e: îce nîce tîme fîne lîne slîme twîce lîce rîpe swîpe smîle stîle field
îgh: final: hîgh up sîgh nîgh
before t: tîght frîght brîght nîght plîght sîght
îg before n: sîgn resîgn desîgn
aî in place names: Caîro Thaîland Dubaî Sînaî
ŷ: flŷ bŷ whŷ trŷ rhŷme spŷ drŷ sprŷ relŷ denŷ defŷ stŷ pig, eye
from -îe before -íng: vŷing lŷing dŷing tŷing (from vîe lîe dîe tîe, cf. trŷing crŷing)
ŷ●ê: tŷpe stŷle mode
ŷe: stŷe eye eŷe sight aŷe yes dŷe colour
eî: heîght Fáhrenheît seîsmic O’Reîlly feîsty BrE eîther BrE neîther
IPA /aʊ/ òu òugh òw
òu: òut fòul bad blòuse tròusers clòud thòu clòut pròud wòund wind gròund mòunt mòuntain jòust fòund dòubt (*dòut)
òugh final: bòugh tree slòugh swamp = Slòugh town BrE plòugh
òw final: hòw nòw còw vòw wòw bòw down sòw pig AmE plòw
before n: bròwn tòwn dòwn fròwn cròwn dròwn renòwn
before l: fòwl bird òwl tròwel dòwry fròwsty
IPA /ɔɪ/ ŏi ŏy
ŏi before n: jŏin cŏin rejŏin lŏin
before l: fŏil bŏil tŏil
before ce: rejŏice vŏice
before st: clŏister hŏist jŏist
before t: quŏits BrE gŏitre AmE gŏiter
ŏy final: bŏy jŏy tŏy deplŏy Rŏy Trŏy destrŏy
before st: ŏyster lŏyal rŏyal
IPA /ɪə/ êar êer êre ìêr êir
êar: êar hêar ear nêar têar cry fêar Pêarson drêary wêary blêary
êer: bêer quêer vêer lêer venêer êerie
êre: hêre there mêre revêre wê’re we are
ìêr: tìêr seats frontìêr piêrce
êir: wêird wêir water
IPA /eə/ ãre ãir ãyr ãyer éãr ére
ãre: fãre money, food spãre shãre pãre cut bãre nude cãre wãres goods stãre look
ãr: before y: wãry vãry scãry Mãry
before i: vâriable shãring
ãir: final: ãir breathe hãir fãir reasonable, funfair lãir stãir step flãir
before y: fãiry hãiry
ãyr: Ãyrshire
ãyer: prãyer
éãr: béãr animal, tolerate, carry téãr rip wéãr clothes péãr fruit
ére: whére place thére here ére before