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Type IPA phonetic symbols for English

   
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This IPA keyboard allows you to type pronunciations of English words as they appear in English dictionaries.

  • After you copy text from the above box and paste it into your word processor or e-mail message, make sure you choose a Unicode font with IPA symbols in your word processor or e-mail application. Otherwise, phonetic symbols may not display correctly.
  • Recommended IPA fonts available on various platforms:
    • Windows XP: Lucida Sans Unicode
    • Windows Vista: Lucida Sans Unicode, Arial, Times New Roman
    • Windows 7: Calibri, Cambria, Lucida Sans Unicode, Arial, Times New Roman
    • Mac OS: Lucida Grande
  • The goal of the keyboard is to provide a way to enter IPA-based phonemic transcriptions, therefore some of the more arcane symbols used in “narrow” phonetic transcriptions are not included.
  • For help with transcribing, refer to Antimoon's chart with IPA phonetic symbols, example words, and recordings (make sure you read the footnotes).
  • Notes on specific symbols:
    • ɪ can be used to represent a “weak ɪ” (as in possible), which can sound like ɪ, ə or something in between. This is not a standard IPA symbol; it is however used in the latest edition of the Oxford English Dictionary.
    • ʊ can be used to represent a “weak ʊ” (as in education), which can sound like ʊ, ə or something in between. This is also a non-standard symbol used in the OED.
    • can be used to indicate places where a “flap t” is normally pronounced in American English. For example, letter can be transcribed /ˈlet̬əʳ/.
    • ə can represent an optional ə (schwa) before a syllabic consonant, as in button.
    • ɛ, ɹ, ɚ, ɝ, ɫ and ɾ are not necessary in phonemic transcriptions, but are provided for those who might need them.