Stress Markers
- Primary stress: ˈ (raised vertical line) marks the stressed syllable. For example, the verb “present” is transcribed as /prɪˈzɛnt/, while the noun “present” as /ˈprɛzənt/.
- Secondary stress: ˌ (lowered vertical line). You can use this symbol in words that have a secondary stressed syllable (e.g., “dictionary” is /ˈdɪkʃəˌnɛri/).
syllable Division marker
In the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), the dot (.) marks syllable boundaries.
For example: The word “syllable” is transcribed as /ˈsɪl.ə.bəl/, where the dots separate each syllable.
This notation is useful for the backward buildup technique (recommended by Dr. Pimsleur in How to Learn a Foreign Language), where you repeat syllables in reverse order to improve fluency and accuracy. This method helps train your mouth to articulate all syllables clearly, especially the often-muffled endings in fast speech.
Here’s how it works with /ˈsɪl.ə.bəl/:
- Start with the last syllable: /bəl/ → Repeat 3x: “bəl bəl bəl”
- Add the middle syllable: /ə.bəl/ → Repeat 3x: “ə.bəl ə.bəl ə.bəl”
- Finally, say the full word: /ˈsɪl.ə.bəl/ → Repeat 3x: “ˈsɪl.ə.bəl ˈsɪl.ə.bəl ˈsɪl.ə.bəl”
For extra practice, you can also build the word forward:
- /sɪl/ → “sɪl sɪl sɪl”
- /sɪl.ə/ → “sɪl.ə sɪl.ə sɪl.ə”
- /ˈsɪl.ə.bəl/ → “ˈsɪl.ə.bəl ˈsɪl.ə.bəl ˈsɪl.ə.bəl”
Length
- Lengthened sound: ː (e.g., “beat” /biːt/)
Linking
- Linking mark for connected speech: ‿ (e.g., “far away” /fɑɹ‿əˈweɪ/).
Prosodic Unit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosodic_unit
- | or ‖: Minor and major intonation breaks, respectively.
Intonation
Rising intonation (↗):
- Used for yes/no questions (“Are you coming?” /ə↗ˈjʊ ˈkʌmɪŋ/).
- Indicates uncertainty or politeness.
Falling intonation (↓):
- Marks statements (“I’m ready.” /aɪm ˈɹɛdi↓/).
- Signals finality or certainty.
Leave a Reply