Dictionary English-English

Fundamentals

For sound transcription the sonic notation is used. It reflects sound-distinctive features and in some cases deviates significantly from the IPA.

• Note: The basis of the description of the English pronunciation is the Received Pronunciation of the colloquial language spoken in Great Britain. English r-sounds are specified as [ɾ] and unrhoticised.

Vowels

• In comparison to IPA the signs ʌ, ᴀ, ɵ, ʉ, ɨ, ɤ are used differently, ɑ, ɒ, ɜ, ɞ, ɐ are interpreted differently.
• All signs of IPA not listed here hold no relevance and are omitted.

Clear vowels

clear	back	dull	high	[a]	► belLanguage Belarusian: так [tak] 🔈	► deuLanguage German: lahm [laːm]
			broad	[ʌ]	► engLanguage English: cat [kʌt]	► finLanguage Finnish: leipä [ˈlɛɪ.pʌ]
		sharp	high	[o]	► deuLanguage German: Hof [hoːf]	► norLanguage Norwegian: språk [sproːk]
			broad	[u]	► deuLanguage German: Mut [muːt]	► engLanguage English: boot [buːt]
	front	dull	high	[e]	► deuLanguage German: Beet [beːt]	► slvLanguage Slovene: jezik [ˈjeː.zik]
			broad	[i]	► catLanguage Catalan: figa [ˈfiː.ga]	► deuLanguage German: Lied [liːt]
		sharp	high	[ø]	► deuLanguage German: Öse [ˈʔøː.zə]	► sweLanguage Swedish: lördag [ˈløːr.dɑːɡ]
			broad	[y]	► deuLanguage German: süß [zyːs]	► turLanguage Turkish: gün [gyn]

Pale vowels

pale	back	dull	high	[ᴀ]	► deuLanguage German: Ast [ʔᴀst]	► engLanguage English: bye [bᴀɪ]
			broad	[ə]	► deuLanguage German: Käse [ˈkeː.zə] 🔈	► sqiLanguage Albanian: zë [zə]
		sharp	high	[ɔ]	► deuLanguage German: ob [ʔɔp]	► estLanguage Estonian: kroom [krɔːm]
			broad	[ʊ]	► deuLanguage German: Butter [ˈbʊ.tɐ] 🔈	► ltzLanguage Luxembourgish: Sprooch [ʃpʀʊːx]
	front	dull	high	[ɛ]	► deuLanguage German: nett [nɛt]	► srpLanguage Serbian: хлеб [xɫɛb] 🔈
			broad	[ɪ]	► cesLanguage Czech: již [jɪʒ]	► deuLanguage German: mit [mɪt] 🔈
		sharp	high	[ɵ]	► deuLanguage German: östlich [ˈʔɵst.lɪç]	► norLanguage Norwegian: pølse [ˈpɵl.sɛ]
			broad	[ʏ]	► deuLanguage German: Hütte [ˈhʏ.tə]	► islLanguage Icelandic: ostur [ˈʔɔs.tʏr] 🔈

Dark vowels

dark	back	dull	high	[ɑ]	► deuLanguage German: Harn [hɑʕn]	► engLanguage English: barn [bɑːn]
			broad	[ɐ]	► danLanguage Danish: være [vɛːɐ] 🔈	► deuLanguage German: Tier [tiːɐ]
		sharp	high	[ɒ]	► deuLanguage German: Born [bɒʕn]	► engLanguage English: saw [sɒː]
			broad	[ʉ]	► danLanguage Danish: slurk [slʉʕk]	► deuLanguage German: Durst [dʉʕst] 🔈
	front	dull	high	[ɜ]	► deuLanguage German: Bern [bɜʕn]	► engLanguage English: butter [ˈba.tɜ]
			broad	[ɨ]	► deuLanguage German: Wirt [vɨʕt]	► engLanguage English: smirk [smɨːk]
		sharp	high	[ɞ]	► deuLanguage German: Örtchen [ˈʔɞʕt.çn̩]	► engLanguage English: learn [lɞːn]
			broad	[ɤ]	► danLanguage Danish: tyrk [tɤʕk]	► deuLanguage German: türmen [ˈtɤʕ.mn̩]

Nasal vowels

nasal	back	dull	[ᴀ̃]	► fraLanguage French: ansette [ʔᴀ̃ˈsɛt]	► hinLanguage Hindi: चाँद cā̃d [tʃᴀ̃ːd]
		sharp	[ɔ̃]	► fraLanguage French: annonce [ʔaˈnɔ̃ːs]	► polLanguage Polish: nocą [ˈnɔ.tsɔ̃]
	front	dull	[ɛ̃]	► fraLanguage French: insanité [ˌʔɛ̃saniˈteː]	► polLanguage Polish: mężatka [mɛ̃ˈʐat.ka]
		sharp	[ɵ̃]	► fraLanguage French: lundi [lɵ̃ˈdi]

Diphtongs

diphtong	steady	a-based	[ᴀʊ]	► deuLanguage German: Pauke [ˈpᴀʊ.kə]	► estLanguage Estonian: laupäev [ˈlᴀʊ.pʌ.ɛv]
			[ᴀɪ]	► deuLanguage German: Mai [mᴀɪ]	► finLanguage Finnish: aika [ˈʔᴀɪ.ka]
		ə-based	[əʊ]	► engLanguage English GBRArea of use: Region Great Britain: home [həʊm]
			[əɪ]	► estLanguage Estonian: päike [ˈpəɪ.kɛ]
		o-based	[ɔʊ]	► engLanguage English USAArea of use: Region America: home [hɔʊm]	► zhoLanguage Chinese: 豆 dòu [dɔʊ˥˩]
			[ɔɪ]	► deuLanguage German: Heu [hɔɪ]	► mkdLanguage Macedonian: војна [ˈvɔɪ.na]
		u-based	[ʊɪ]	► deuLanguage German: pfui [pfʊɪ]	► porLanguage Portuguese: muito [ˈmʊɪ.tɔ]
		e-based	[ɛʊ]	► mltLanguage Maltese: mewt [mɛʊt]	► spaLanguage Spanish: Europa [ʔɛʊˈrɔ.pa]
			[ɛɪ]	► deuLanguage German: hey [hɛɪ]	► sweLanguage Swedish: nej [nɛɪ] 🔈
		ø-based	[ɵɪ]	► nldLanguage Dutch: neus [nɵɪs]	► sweLanguage Swedish: färöiska [ˈfɛː.rɵɪs.ka]
		y-based	[ʏɪ]	► rusLanguage Russian: мы [mʏɪ]	► belLanguage Belarusian: бык [bʏɪk]
	front-heavy	u-based	[uːə]	► engLanguage English GBRArea of use: Region Great Britain: tour [tuːə]	► gleLanguage Irish: suas [suːəs]
		e-based	[ɛːə]	► engLanguage English GBRArea of use: Region Great Britain: air [ʔɛːə]
		i-based	[iːə]	► engLanguage English GBRArea of use: Region Great Britain: near [niːə]	► gleLanguage Irish: bliain [bʲʎiːəɲ]

Consonants

• In comparison to IPA the signs r, ɹ, ʀ, ʁ, ɽ, ɻ, ɾ are used differently, j, ɼ are interpreted differently.
• All signs of IPA not listed here hold no relevance and are omitted.
• In contrast to the IPA practice, ʔ is always written before vowels, even in the initial sound of a word, if it corresponds to the language standard.

Nasals

nasal	bilabial	[m]	► deuLanguage German: Meer [meːɐ]	► hrvLanguage Croatian: maslac [ˈmaːs.ɫats] 🔈
	alveolar	[n]	► deuLanguage German: Nase [ˈnaː.zə]	► litLanguage Lithuanian: namas [ˈna.məs]
	retroflex	[ɳ]	► hinLanguage Hindi: ठंडा ṭhaṇḍā [ˈʈʰəɳ.ɖɑː]	► nepLanguage Nepali: अण्डा aṇḍā [ˈʔaɳ.ɖɑ]
	palatal	[ɲ]	► belLanguage Belarusian: неба [ˈɲe.ba]	► rusLanguage Russian: нет [ɲet] 🔈
	velar	[ŋ]	► deuLanguage German: Gang [gᴀŋ]	► vieLanguage Vietnamese: ngàn [ŋaːn˨˩]

Plosives

plosive	bilabial	fortis	[p]	► deuLanguage German: Park [pɑːk]	► porLanguage Portuguese: pão [paʊŋ] 🔈
		lenis	[b]	► danLanguage Danish: brød [bʀɵð]	► deuLanguage German: Buch [buːx] 🔈
	alveolar	fortis	[t]	► deuLanguage German: Tisch [tɪʃ]	► ellLanguage Greek: τυρί [tiˈriː]
		lenis	[d]	► deuLanguage German: Dose [ˈdoː.zə]	► engLanguage English: disk [dɪsk]
	retroflex	fortis	[ʈ]	► hinLanguage Hindi: टमाटर ṭamāṭar [ʈəˈmaː.ʈər]	► nepLanguage Nepali: टोली ṭolī [ˈʈoː.liː]
		lenis	[ɖ]	► somLanguage Somali: dhul [ɖul]	► urdLanguage Urdu: ڈَنْڈا ḍanḍā [ɖənˈɖa]
	palatal	fortis	[c]	► gleLanguage Irish: teach [cax]	► hunLanguage Hungarian: tyúk [cuːk]
		lenis	[ɟ]	► gleLanguage Irish: dia [ɟiːə]	► hunLanguage Hungarian: gyom [ɟɔm]
	velar	fortis	[k]	► deuLanguage German: kalt [kᴀlt]	► turLanguage Turkish: kasım [kaˈsəm]
		lenis	[g]	► deuLanguage German: Gold [gɔlt]	► mkdLanguage Macedonian: град [grat]
	uvular	fortis	[q]	► araLanguage Arabic: قَلَم qalam [ˈqa.lam] 🔈	► tgkLanguage Tajik: қошуқ [ˈqɔ.ʃuk]
		lenis	[ɢ]	► pesLanguage Persian: غار ġār [ɢɒːr]
	glottal	fortis	[ʔ]	► deuLanguage German: Esche [ˈʔɛ.ʃə]	► itaLanguage Italian: uno [ˈʔuː.nɔ] 🔈

Fricatives

fricative	labiodental	fortis	[f]	► bosLanguage Bosnian: flaša [ˈfɫa.ʃa]	► deuLanguage German: Fuß [fuːs]
		lenis	[v]	► deuLanguage German: Wald [vᴀlt]	► norLanguage Norwegian: vegg [vɛg]
	dental	fortis	[θ]	► islLanguage Icelandic: þú [θuː]	► spaLanguage Spanish: ciudad [θjuˈðað]
		lenis	[ð]	► spaLanguage Spanish: dedo [ˈdɛ.ðɔ]	► sqiLanguage Albanian: dhomë [ðɔm]
	alveolar	fortis	[s]	► deuLanguage German: Smaragd [smᴀˈʀᴀkt]	► litLanguage Lithuanian: sausis [ˈsaʊ.sɪs]
		lenis	[z]	► deuLanguage German: See [zeː]	► lavLanguage Latvian: zivs [zivs] 🔈
	postalveolar	fortis	[ʃ]	► deuLanguage German: Schiff [ʃɪf]	► srpLanguage Serbian: шест [ʃɛːst]
		lenis	[ʒ]	► bosLanguage Bosnian: žena [ˈʒɛː.na]	► deuLanguage German: Journal [ʒʉʕˈnaːl]
	retroflex	fortis	[ʂ]	► urdLanguage Urdu: کشٹ kaṣṭ [kəʂʈ]	► zhoLanguage Chinese: 山 shān [ʂan˥]
		lenis	[ʐ]	► polLanguage Polish: żaba [ˈʐa.ba]	► zhoLanguage Chinese: 人 rén [ʐɛn˧˥]
	prepalatal	fortis	[ɕ]	► polLanguage Polish: świerk [ɕfjɛrk]	► zhoLanguage Chinese: 西 xī [ɕiː˥]
		lenis	[ʑ]	► jpnLanguage Japanese: 時期 jiki [ˈdʑi.kʲi]	► polLanguage Polish: źle [ʑlɛ]
	palatal	fortis	[ç]	► deuLanguage German: Chemie [çɛˈmiː]	► islLanguage Icelandic: hjól [çɔʊl]
		lenis	[j]	► deuLanguage German: ja [jaː] 🔈	► ltzLanguage Luxembourgish: jonk [jɔŋk]
	velar	fortis	[x]	► deuLanguage German: Bach [bᴀx]	► ukrLanguage Ukrainian: хустка [ˈxust.ka]
		lenis	[ʀ]	► deuLanguage German: rot [ʀoːt] 🔈	► hebLanguage Hebrew: רֹאשׁ roʾš [ʀɔʃ]
	uvular	fortis	[ħ]	► araLanguage Arabic: حَالْ ḥāl [ħaːl]	► somLanguage Somali: xood [ħoːd]
		lenis	[ʕ]	► araLanguage Arabic: عَقْرَبْ ʿaqrab [ˈʕaq.rab]	► deuLanguage German: Hort [hɒʕt]
	glottal	fortis	[h]	► deuLanguage German: Hut [huːt]	► katLanguage Georgian: ჰავა hava [ˈha.va]

Approximants

approximant	bilabial	[w]	► engLanguage English: war [wɒː]	► swaLanguage Swahili: mwanafunzi [mwa.naˌfun.zi]
	alveolar	[ɾ]	► engLanguage English GBRArea of use: Region Great Britain: red [ɾɛd]	► myaLanguage Burmese: တိရစ္ဆာန် təreiʻsan [ˈtə.ɾɛɪʔ.sʰan]
	retroflex	[ɽ]	► engLanguage English USAArea of use: Region America: red [ɽɛd]

Laterals

lateral	alveolar	[l]	► deuLanguage German: List [lɪst]	► nldLanguage Dutch: lief [lif]
	postalveolar	[ɫ]	► bulLanguage Bulgarian: лоза [ˈɫɔ.za]	► engLanguage English: well [wɛɫ]
	retroflex	[ɭ]	► korLanguage Korean: 솔 sol [soɭ]
	palatal	[ʎ]	► hrvLanguage Croatian: ljeto [ˈʎɛ.tɔ]	► slkLanguage Slovak: ľúbiť [ˈʎuː.bic]

Percussives

percussive	alveolar	pulsative	[r]	► bulLanguage Bulgarian: резе [ˈrɛ.zɛ]	► ronLanguage Romanian: rest [rɛst]
	retroflex	pulsative	[ɻ]	► benLanguage Bengali: গাড়ি gaṛi [ˈɡa.ɻi]	► hinLanguage Hindi: बड़ा baṛā [bəˈɻa]
	palatal	pulsative	[ɼ]	► cesLanguage Czech: řeka [ˈɼɛ.ka]
		vibrant	[ɹ]	► slkLanguage Slovak: prst [pɹ̩st]	► spaLanguage Spanish: rata [ˈɹa.ta]
	uvular	vibrant	[ʁ]	► hyeLanguage Armenian: տղա tġa [dəˈʁɑ]	► swaLanguage Swahili: ghali [ˈʁaː.li]

Additional signs

Modificators

diacritic	voiceless	[ ̥ ][ ̊ ]	► deuLanguage German (synophone): Brache [ˈb̥ʀaː.xə]
	voiced	[ ̬ ][ ̌ ]	► deuLanguage German (synophone): Brache [ˈb̬ʀaː.xə]
	nasalised	[˜]	► fraLanguage French: arranger [ʔaˈʀᴀ̃ˈʒe]	► polLanguage Polish: sprężarka [sprɛ̃ˈʐar.ka]
postpositive	long	[ː]	► catLanguage Catalan: jove [ˈʒoː.bə]	► itaLanguage Italian: pane [ˈpaː.nɛ]
	aspirated	[ʰ]	► deuLanguage German: kahl [kʰaːl]	► hinLanguage Hindi: थका thakā [ˈtʰa.kaː]
	palatalised	[ʲ]	► gleLanguage Irish: géag [gʲeːg]	► rusLanguage Russian: мясо [ˈmʲa.sa]
	uvularised	[ˁ]	► araLanguage Arabic: طَالِبْ ṭālib [ˈtˤaː.lib]

Separators

Carrier	syllabic	[ ̍ ][ ̩ ]	► deuLanguage German: reden [ˈʀeː.dn̩]	► slvLanguage Slovene: vrh [vɹ̩x]
syllable	unstressed	[.]	► deuLanguage German: koordinieren [koː.ɔʕ.diːˈniː.ʀn̩]	► ronLanguage Romanian: persoană [pɛr.sɔˈaː.nə]
	primarily stressed	[ˈ]	► deuLanguage German: Sonne [ˈzɔ.nə]	► ellLanguage Greek: τεχνικός [tɛx.niˈkɔs]
	secondarily stressed	[ˌ]	► estLanguage Estonian: vanaisa [ˈva.naˌi.sa]	► finLanguage Finnish: sukunimi [ˈsu.kuˌni.mi]
word	separat	[ ]	► engLanguage English USAArea of use: Region America: not at all [nad ʔɛd ʔɒːl]	► spaLanguage Spanish: la mano [la ˈma.nɔ]
	syllabic	[_]	► engLanguage English GBRArea of use: Region America: not at all [nɔt_ɛˈt‿ɒːl]	► araLanguage Arabic: ٱَلْبَيْتْ ʹal-bait [ʔᴀl_ˈbᴀɪt]
	intrasyllabic	[‿]

Tonals

tonal	very high	[˥]	► vieLanguage Vietnamese: chính [cɨn˦˥]	► zhoLanguage Chinese: 妈 mā [maː˥]
	high	[˦]	► vieLanguage Vietnamese: kẽm [kɛm˦ʔ˥]	► zhoLanguage Chinese: 北 běi [bɛɪ˨˩˦]
	medium	[˧]	► vieLanguage Vietnamese: ba [baː˧]	► zhoLanguage Chinese: 娘 niáng [njaŋ˧˥]
	low	[˨]	► vieLanguage Vietnamese: gạch [ʀajk˧˨ʔ]	► zhoLanguage Chinese: 主 zhǔ [ʒuː˨˩˦]
	very low	[˩]	► vieLanguage Vietnamese: tàu [taw˨˩]	► zhoLanguage Chinese: 万 mò [mɔː˥˩]