Pronunciation respelling for English

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Many dictionaries and other language references give pronunciation guides for some or all words listed. Most British English dictionaries now use the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) for these, and represent Received Pronunciation. However some British, and most American volumes, use respelling systems, which may be more intuitive for readers unfamiliar with IPA, and which may allow for a symbol to be interpreted differently by readers of different accents.

The following chart matches the IPA symbols used to represent the sounds in the English language with the phonetic symbols used in several dictionaries and reference materials. The respelling systems on this page are mostly for American English, so the IPA symbols are those for the General American accent. This chart is not a comprehensive list of symbols found in pronunciation guides, and it is not a guide to the pronunciation systems found in these works; you will need to consult the individual works to learn the idiosyncratic conventions of each system.

Contents

1 Chart

1.1 Notes
1.2 Title abbreviations

2 See also
3 Note: This page uses special characters

Chart

The works referenced above adhere (for the most part) to the one-symbol-per-sound principle. Other works not included here, such as Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language (unabridged, 2nd ed.), do not and thus have several different symbols for the same sound (partly to allow for different phonemic mergers and splits).

If viewing this in your browser as opposed to as a hard copy, you may hover over the abbreviations with your mouse to get the full titles.

Consonants¹
IPA AHD MWCD NOAD RHD WBO MECD DPL DPN NBC MWO A COD⁵ Cham AB PEDB examples
tʃ ch ch CH c͡h ch ch ch ch ch ch č ch ch ch tx church
h h h h h h h h h h h h h h hh h hat
hw² hw hw hw hw hw hw hw hw (h)w hŭ which
dʒ j j j j j j j j j j ǰ j j jh dj judge
x KH k KH K͡H kh - - - - [k] x (χ) hh - kh loch (Scottish)
ɬ KH k KH K͡H kh - - - - [k] x (χ) hl - lh llan (Welsh)
ŋ ng ŋ NG n͡g ng ng ŋ ng ng [ng] ŋ ng ng ng ng thing
ɹ r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r roar
ʃ sh sh SH s͡h sh sh sh sh sh sh š sh sh sh x ship, dish, ration
θ th th TH t͡h th th th th th th θ th th th th thin, thigh, beneath
ð th th TH th̸ th th th t̷h th: [th] ð dh dh dh dh this
j y y y y y y y y y y y y y y ĭ yes
ʒ zh zh ZH z͡h zh zh zh zh zh zh ž zh zh zh j vision, pleasure
Vowels
IPA AHD MWCD NOAD RHD WBO MECD DPL DPN NBC MWO A COD Cham AB PEDB examples
æ ă a æ a a a a a a a æ ă a ae a pat, lad, cat, ran
eɪ ā ā ā ā ay ay ā ay ay A e ā ā ey ei pay, day
ɛɹ âr ar er âr air air air ar εr ār ār eh r er care, hair, there
ɑ ä ä, ȧ ä ä ah aa ä aw, o ah ä, [a'] a ah ä aa ā father, palm
ɑɹ är är är är ahr aar är ahr är ar a͡r är aa r ār arm
ɛ ĕ e e e eh e e ɛ e e ε ě e eh e let, head
i ē ē ē ē ee ee ē ē ee E i ē ē iy ī bee, see
ɪ³ ĭ i i i ih i i i i i ɪ ǐ i ih i pit, city
aɪ ī ī ī ī y ī ī y igh I ay ī ī ay ai pie, by, my
ɪɹ îr ir ir ēr ihr eer ir ɪr ēr īr ih r ir pier, near, here
ɒ ŏ ä ä o o o ä o ah ä a ǒ o aa o pot, not, wasp
o ō ō ō ō oh ō ō ō oh O o ō ō ow yu toe, no
ɔ ô ȯ ô ô aw aw ô aw, o aw o ɔ aw ö ao ō caught, paw, war
ɔɪ oi ȯi oi oi oy oy oi oy oi oi ɔy oi oi oy oi noise, boy
ʊ³ o͝o u̇ o͝o o͝o u o͝o oo u oo u ᴜ ǒǒ u⁴ uh u took, put
ʊɹ o͝or u̇r o͝or o͝or ur oor ur ᴜr oor oor uh r ur tour
u o͞o ü o͞o o͞o oo oo o͞o ū oo: ü u ōō oo⁴ uw ū boot, soon, through
aʊ ou au̇ ow ou ow ow ou ow ow au aw ow ow aw au out, now
ʌ ŭ ə ə u uh u u ʋ UH & ʌ ǔ u ah y cut, run, enough
ɝ ûr ər ər ûr ur ur ʉr er ER &r ər e͡r ûr er yr urge, term, firm, word, heard, bird
ə ə ə ə ə uh ə ə e uh &, ^& ə a, e, i, o, u ə ah y about, item, edible, gallop, circus
ɚ ^ər ər ər ər uhr ər ər er er &r ər er ər er yr butter, winner
ju yo͞o yü yo͞o yo͞o yoo yoo yo͞o yū yoo: yü yu ū ū y uw ĭū pupil
IPA AHD MWCD NOAD RHD WBO MECD DPL DPN NBC MWO A COD Cham AB PEDB examples

Consonants¹
IPA	AHD	MWCD	NOAD	RHD	WBO	MECD	DPL	DPN	NBC	MWO	A	COD⁵	Cham	AB	PEDB	examples
tʃ	ch	ch	CH	c͡h	ch	ch	ch	ch	ch	ch	č	ch	ch	ch	tx	church
h	h	h	h	h	h	h	h	h	h	h	h	h	h	hh	h	hat
hw²	hw	hw	hw	hw	hw	hw				hw	hw		(h)w		hŭ	which
dʒ	j	j	j	j	j	j	j	j	j	j	ǰ	j	j	jh	dj	judge
x	KH	k	KH	K͡H	kh	-	-	-	-	[k]	x	(χ)	hh	-	kh	loch (Scottish)
ɬ	KH	k	KH	K͡H	kh	-	-	-	-	[k]	x	(χ)	hl	-	lh	llan (Welsh)
ŋ	ng	ŋ	NG	n͡g	ng	ng	ŋ	ng	ng	[ng]	ŋ	ng	ng	ng	ng	thing
ɹ	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	roar
ʃ	sh	sh	SH	s͡h	sh	sh	sh	sh	sh	sh	š	sh	sh	sh	x	ship, dish, ration
θ	th	th	TH	t͡h	th	th	th	th	th	th	θ	th	th	th	th	thin, thigh, beneath
ð	th	th	TH	th̸	th	th	th	t̷h	th:	[th]	ð	dh	dh	dh	dh	this
j	y	y	y	y	y	y	y	y	y	y	y	y	y	y	ĭ	yes
ʒ	zh	zh	ZH	z͡h	zh	zh	zh	zh	zh	zh	ž	zh	zh	zh	j	vision, pleasure
Vowels
IPA	AHD	MWCD	NOAD	RHD	WBO	MECD	DPL	DPN	NBC	MWO	A	COD	Cham	AB	PEDB	examples
æ	ă	a	æ	a	a	a	a	a	a	a	æ	ă	a	ae	a	pat, lad, cat, ran
eɪ	ā	ā	ā	ā	ay	ay	ā	ay	ay	A	e	ā	ā	ey	ei	pay, day
ɛɹ	âr	ar	er	âr	air	air			air	ar	εr	ār	ār	eh r	er	care, hair, there
ɑ	ä	ä, ȧ	ä	ä	ah	aa	ä	aw, o	ah	ä, [a']	a	ah	ä	aa	ā	father, palm
ɑɹ	är	är	är	är	ahr	aar	är		ahr	är	ar	a͡r	är	aa r	ār	arm
ɛ	ĕ	e	e	e	eh	e	e	ɛ	e	e	ε	ě	e	eh	e	let, head
i	ē	ē	ē	ē	ee	ee	ē	ē	ee	E	i	ē	ē	iy	ī	bee, see
ɪ³	ĭ	i	i	i	ih	i	i	i	i	i	ɪ	ǐ	i	ih	i	pit, city
aɪ	ī	ī	ī	ī	y	ī	ī	y	igh	I	ay	ī	ī	ay	ai	pie, by, my
ɪɹ	îr	ir	ir	ēr	ihr	eer				ir	ɪr	ēr	īr	ih r	ir	pier, near, here
ɒ	ŏ	ä	ä	o	o	o	ä	o	ah	ä	a	ǒ	o	aa	o	pot, not, wasp
o	ō	ō	ō	ō	oh	ō	ō	ō	oh	O	o	ō	ō	ow	yu	toe, no
ɔ	ô	ȯ	ô	ô	aw	aw	ô	aw, o	aw	o	ɔ	aw	ö	ao	ō	caught, paw, war
ɔɪ	oi	ȯi	oi	oi	oy	oy	oi	oy	oi	oi	ɔy	oi	oi	oy	oi	noise, boy
ʊ³	o͝o	u̇	o͝o	o͝o	u	o͝o	oo	u	oo	u	ᴜ	ǒǒ	u⁴	uh	u	took, put
ʊɹ	o͝or	u̇r	o͝or	o͝or	ur	oor				ur	ᴜr	oor	oor	uh r	ur	tour
u	o͞o	ü	o͞o	o͞o	oo	oo	o͞o	ū	oo:	ü	u	ōō	oo⁴	uw	ū	boot, soon, through
aʊ	ou	au̇	ow	ou	ow	ow	ou	ow	ow	au	aw	ow	ow	aw	au	out, now
ʌ	ŭ	ə	ə	u	uh	u	u	ʋ	UH	&	ʌ	ǔ	u	ah	y	cut, run, enough
ɝ	ûr	ər	ər	ûr	ur	ur	ʉr	er	ER	&r	ər	e͡r	ûr	er	yr	urge, term, firm, word, heard, bird
ə	ə	ə	ə	ə	uh	ə	ə	e	uh	&, ^&	ə	a, e, i, o, u	ə	ah	y	about, item, edible, gallop, circus
ɚ	^ər	ər	ər	ər	uhr	ər	ər	er	er	&r	ər	er	ər	er	yr	butter, winner
ju	yo͞o	yü	yo͞o	yo͞o	yoo	yoo	yo͞o	yū	yoo:	yü	yu	ū	ū	y uw	ĭū	pupil
IPA	AHD	MWCD	NOAD	RHD	WBO	MECD	DPL	DPN	NBC	MWO	A	COD	Cham	AB	PEDB	examples

Notes

The following symbols have their IPA values in all the systems listed: b, d, f, g, k, l, m, n, p, s, t, v, w, z.
The IPA symbol [ʍ] is sometimes encountered in place of [hw].
The older IPA symbols (ι, ɷ) are sometimes encountered for [ɪ] and [ʊ], respectively.
Older editions of The Chambers Dictionary used o͞o for ŭ and o͞o for oo.
Older editions of the Concise Oxford Dictionary used a mix of two systems: the "phonetic scheme" shown in the table above and a system "without respelling". The latter added diacritics to conventional spellings and accepted the following orthographic conventions:

COD variant	IPA
ph
kn (initial)
wr (initial)
g, dg	[g] otherwise
c	[k] otherwsie
ai, ay
air
ae, ea, ee, ie
ė, ie (final), ey
ear, eer, ier
aw
oy
ou
i͡r, u͡r
eu, ew

Title abbreviations

IPA – International Phonetic Alphabet (for General American)
AHD – American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
MWCD – Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
NOAD – New Oxford American Dictionary
RHD – Random House Dictionary of the English Language
WBO – World Book Online
MECD – Microsoft Encarta College Dictionary
DPL – Dictionary of Pronunciation (authors: Abraham Lass & Betty Lass)
DPN – Dictionary of Pronunciation (author: Samuel Noory)
NBC – NBC Handbook of Pronunciation
MWO – Merriam-Webster Online (http://www.m-w.com/)
A – general Americanist phonetic notation (used primarily in linguistics literature in the USA)
COD – The Concise Oxford Dictionary (7th edition and earlier)
Cham - The Chambers Dictionary
AB - ARPABET, a commonly-used computerized encoding for English phonetics, as used by the Carnegie Mellon Pronouncing Dictionary ([cmudict])

Note: This page uses special characters

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Pronunciation respelling for English

Chart

Notes

Title abbreviations

See also

Note: This page uses special characters