3 ms·

> I wasn’t really aware of the IPA, is this mostly used for teaching purposes when learning a new language? It’s mostly used for linguistic purposes — most oft

by bradrn 5y ago

> I wasn’t really aware of the IPA, is this mostly used for teaching purposes when learning a new language? It’s mostly used for linguistic purposes — most often in grammatical descriptions of obscure languages, or for precisely specifying the pronunciation of a word (e.g. in my dialect ‘mutable’, say, is [mjʉːtˢə̆bu]). But I believe it gets used in language learning as well.

40four 5y ago
Thanks, I’ll have to read about this more. That makes sense, gives you system to precisely describe particular pronunciations I guess. TIL :)
cjhveal 5y ago
Really, with a [u] at the end? That's really interesting, do you mind me asking what dialect you speak?
- bradrn 5y ago
  I’ve never been quite sure about my accent, but it’s probably closest to Australian English. The relevant sound change is /l/-vocalisation: syllable-final [ɫ] → [w] with accompanying vowel changes, and syllabic [ɫ̩] → [u]. So I have e.g. pool [puːw], wall [woːw], adult [ˈʔæɾʊwtˢ], peel [piːw ~ ˈpiju], apple [ˈʔæpʰu], middle [ˈmɪɾu].
  - cjhveal 5y ago
    Very interesting. After asking I wondered if there could have been some kind of velar connection but L-vocalization makes sense. Appreciate the in depth explanation with lots of examples from your idiolect.
tasogare 5y ago
> most often in grammatical descriptions of obscure languages No, it's used everywhere in phonology, for every language. I started a project like that (also to train myself using web components), except it listed the phonemes of a given language, selectable to the user. I should complete it one day...
- bradrn 5y ago
  > No, it's used everywhere in phonology, for every language. Sure, of course, but I was thinking mostly of those grammars (usually Sino-Tibetan ones, for some reason) which use IPA throughout instead of a romanisation. (I suppose that by now I’m just so used to IPA being used for phonologies that I don’t even think about it.) > I started a project like that (also to train myself using web components), except it listed the phonemes of a given language, selectable to the user. I should complete it one day... So like PHOIBLE? (https://phoible.org/ https://phoible.org/)
Bud 5y ago
It's also used for training singers. For instance, in grad school, I taught Singers' Diction in various languages. Being able to transcribe any given text into IPA, and then of course pronounce it accurately, is a core skill for classical singers. The usual languages covered are English, German, Italian, and French, those being the most important for classical music. Interestingly, the language that a lot of native English speakers have the most trouble with is...English! You'd be surprised.

by bradrn 5y ago

40four 5y ago

Thanks, I’ll have to read about this more. That makes sense, gives you system to precisely describe particular pronunciations I guess. TIL :)

cjhveal 5y ago

Really, with a [u] at the end? That's really interesting, do you mind me asking what dialect you speak?

bradrn 5y ago
I’ve never been quite sure about my accent, but it’s probably closest to Australian English. The relevant sound change is /l/-vocalisation: syllable-final [ɫ] → [w] with accompanying vowel changes, and syllabic [ɫ̩] → [u]. So I have e.g. pool [puːw], wall [woːw], adult [ˈʔæɾʊwtˢ], peel [piːw ~ ˈpiju], apple [ˈʔæpʰu], middle [ˈmɪɾu].
- cjhveal 5y ago
  Very interesting. After asking I wondered if there could have been some kind of velar connection but L-vocalization makes sense. Appreciate the in depth explanation with lots of examples from your idiolect.

tasogare 5y ago

> most often in grammatical descriptions of obscure languages No, it's used everywhere in phonology, for every language. I started a project like that (also to train myself using web components), except it listed the phonemes of a given language, selectable to the user. I should complete it one day...

bradrn 5y ago
> No, it's used everywhere in phonology, for every language. Sure, of course, but I was thinking mostly of those grammars (usually Sino-Tibetan ones, for some reason) which use IPA throughout instead of a romanisation. (I suppose that by now I’m just so used to IPA being used for phonologies that I don’t even think about it.) > I started a project like that (also to train myself using web components), except it listed the phonemes of a given language, selectable to the user. I should complete it one day... So like PHOIBLE? (https://phoible.org/ https://phoible.org/)

Bud 5y ago

It's also used for training singers. For instance, in grad school, I taught Singers' Diction in various languages. Being able to transcribe any given text into IPA, and then of course pronounce it accurately, is a core skill for classical singers. The usual languages covered are English, German, Italian, and French, those being the most important for classical music. Interestingly, the language that a lot of native English speakers have the most trouble with is...English! You'd be surprised.