How NOT to write a teach-yourself grammar

[David Wake]

IPA can be used phonemically, or even diaphonemically, rather than phonetically.

For example, Wikipedia's pronunciation scheme attempts to do this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_English

David

On Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 9:17 AM, Steve Kl. <stevekl at gmail.com> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Steve Kl." <stevekl at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: How NOT to write a teach-yourself grammar
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> This is one of the reasons why most American dictionaries use a phonemic
> vowel-key approach to pronunciations rather than an absolute phonetic
> approach.
>
> I think it's safe to say I have nothing against the IPA vowel system. (You
> might say it's an integral part of me.) But, for most American laypeople,
> it's not the easiest approach to representing pronunciation.
>
> On Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 11:44 AM, David Wake <dnwake at gmail.com> wrote:
>
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>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       David Wake <dnwake at GMAIL.COM>
>> Subject:      Re: How NOT to write a teach-yourself grammar
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> In English Received Pronunciation the vowel of DRESS (and of END which
>> is basically the same vowel, not raised or nasalized) is traditionally
>> transcribed as /e/.  This is arguably an anachronism today, but
>> traditions persist.
>>
>> David
>>
>>
>> On Sep 24, 2010, at 4:44, Randy Alexander <strangeguitars at GMAIL.COM>
>> wrote:
>>
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>> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> > Poster:       Randy Alexander <strangeguitars at GMAIL.COM>
>> > Subject:      Re: How NOT to write a teach-yourself grammar
>> > ---
>> > ---
>> > ---
>> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> >
>> > On Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 1:45 PM, Wilson Gray <hwgray at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >> "The syllabic segment /e/, a front mid vowel, is pronounced similarly
>> >> to ,,, English _e_ as in _end_."
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> As in "*end*"?! So, it's a nasalized, lax, high front vowel. Probably
>> >> not really what the authors int[I]nd. And it's not possible to tell
>> >> whether they really have in mind "... as in _gate_ or "... as in
>> >> _get_." More likely the latter. But,
>> >
>> > The vowel in _gate_ (/ei/) and the vowel in _end_ (/E/) are not the
>> > same phoneme.  But _get_ and _end_ do share the same phoneme vowel
>> > /E/.
>> >
>> > Is this publication British (where there /E/ and /e/ are much closer
>> > than in the US)?
>> >
>> > --
>> > Randy Alexander
>> > Xiamen, China
>> > Blogs:
>> > Manchu studies: http://www.sinoglot.com/manchu
>> > Chinese characters: http://www.sinoglot.com/yuwen
>> > Language in China (group blog): http://www.sinoglot.com/blog
>> >
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>> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
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>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>
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