Transcription systems; transcription of babbling

[Manuel Kountz]

Dear all,

For doing transcriptions of babbling we are currently in the need of a
suitable transcription system - XSAMPA and UNIBET seem to lack some
diacritics, especially for onglide/offglide phenomena. (Up to now we are
using pure XSAMPA but will make any necessary transitions towards UNIBET
as soon as possible.)

Thus, I have two questions:

a) Can someone please help me finding a more complete solution?
"Augmenting" XSAMPA with own diacritics is an opportunity, but the very
last choice. Are there any computer transcription systems (not using
Unicode/IPA) with more complete possibilites? (I'm also interestet in
this question besides transriptions of babbling.)

b) What do you recommend me to do? The problem at which the question
arises are CV frames like [ba], where the transition from [b] to [a] is
rather long and comprises a bilabial approximant like structure which is
not really separable from the vowel. Thus, it seems reasonable to annote
these different qualities, but not to impose an artificial segmentation
on it. How would you annote such phenomena?

I'd be glad to hear from other people doing babbling transcriptions in
order to share and learn from practical experience.

Best regards,

    Manuel Kountz