Help:IPA/Conventions for English

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Template:Information page The various English dictionaries use different and sometimes conflicting IPA transcriptions for English. For example, the transcription /i/ may be used for the vowel of sit, of seat, or at the end of city. A dictionary may not even be consistent between one edition and the next. This table correlates the more widely used dictionaries with the conventions of the IPA key that is used on Wikipedia.

Most dictionaries transcribe a specific dialect or accent, such as the Received Pronunciation (RP) of the Oxford English Dictionary, or a narrow range of dialects. Wikipedia's IPA key, on the other hand, is intended to cover RP, General American, Australian, and other national standards. As such, Wikipedia transcribes /r/ where it is found in rhotic dialects, but also the vowel distinctions found in non-rhotic dialects, without distinct UK and US transcriptions. Specific dialects may also be transcribed—local pronunciations of place names are often useful, for example—but they are normally written in addition to a more universal pronunciation.

When entering IPA in an article, please use the {{IPA}} template so that it is formatted properly on all web browsers. /Slashes/ and [brackets] should be included inside the IPA template, so that they display in the same font as the IPA itself. Also, please use proper stress ˈ and length ː marks (available at the bottom of your edit window) rather than the non-IPA shortcuts of apostrophe (') and colon (:); depending on the reader's font preferences, the latter can be ambiguous.

For a list of those languages other than English which have agreed-upon transcriptions in Wikipedia, see {{IPA keys}}. For a comparison of the non-IPA transcriptions found in many US dictionaries, see Pronunciation respelling for English.

Alternative pronunciations

When dictionaries give alternative pronunciations, they may mean that people disagree. For example, some people pronounce bath /bæθ/, with the vowel of bat, while others with the same accent pronounce it /bɑːθ/, with the vowel of bra. This is the kind of difference celebrated in "You like to-may-toes; I like to-mah-toes". On Wikipedia, we would normally need to transcribe both, unless only one is considered correct, as may be the case for personal and place names.

However, often variant transcriptions reflect distinctions between accents, and these we do not need to transcribe, since our IPA key already covers such distinctions. For example, Merriam-Webster transcribes merry as "/ˈmɛri/" and marry as "/ˈmɛri, ˈmæri/". The two transcriptions of marry are meant to show that some people pronounce it the same as merry; it does not mean that there are two pronunciations of marry among those who either do or do not make this distinction (see Mary–marry–merry merger). It would not be possible to have the song lyric "You say marry and I say merry", because only those people who say those words differently would be able to sing it. Therefore on Wikipedia we would only have one transcription for each: merry /ˈmɛri/, marry /ˈmæri/. Since the IPA key defines the orthographic conventions of /ɛr/ and /ær/ according to basic English words, readers who do not make the marry–merry distinction will see /ɛr/ and /ær/ as being equivalent, much as the spelling pronunciations YOU-clid and EWE-clid for "Euclid" would be seen as equivalent.

Consonants

Consonants vary little between dictionaries. The ones which do are those in the words:

rich, char /r ~ ɹ ~ (r) ~ (ɹ) ~ ∅/;
which, /ʍ ~ hw ~ (h)w ~ w/;
and new, /juː ~ uː/.

Wikipedia editors have decided to go with /rɪtʃ/, /tʃɑːr/, /hwɪtʃ/, /njuː/ for these words.

A few dictionaries, such as dictionary.com, use "/y/" for /j/, which is at odds with the official IPA usage, which defines /y/ as close front rounded vowel (as in French tu or German über), and appears as such in transcriptions of French and German, as well as some dialects of English.

Vowels

The following tables compare the broad IPA pronunciation scheme of some dictionaries to the one used on Wikipedia. The overview is not exhaustive, but major pronouncing dictionaries have been included. Highlight colors:

  • Green highlights pronunciation symbols that are the same as on Wikipedia (disregarding a syllable divider when it does not mean a two-syllable pronunciation, but only that the /r/ belongs to the next syllable, and disregarding different symbolizations of the syllable divider or of /r/);
  • yellow highlights pronunciation symbols that differ only in the use of the length symbol ⟨ː⟩, in parentheses, in superscripts, in non-rhotic dropped /r/, or in inserting an optional sign;
  • red highlights pronunciation symbols that use different signs.

Other conventions:

  • A question mark (?) means that the sound has not been found in the respective dictionary.
  • A blank cell means that the dictionary has not been checked.
  • A slash (/) separates variant pronunciations signs. The order of the variant pronunciation symbols is the same as in the source.
  • Smaller text (like so) highlights variant pronunciations that are not preferred (only some dictionaries make such a distinction).
  • A comma (,) separates different pronunciation depending on the word or depending on the region. The differences are explained in a footnote or by broadly specifying the region.

Checked vowels

Checked vowels
WP example
word 		EPD
1930 		EPD
2003 		Longman OALD OED2 dict SOED OED3 K&K Mac WL CUBE
(BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (GA) (ES)
/æ/ trap æ æ æ æ æ æ æ æ æ æ a a æ æ æ æ æ a
/ær/ _V carry ær ær er/​ær ær ær ær ær ær ær ær ar ar ɛr ær ær ær ær aɹ
/ɛ/ dress e e e e e e e ɛ ɛ ɛ ɛ ɛ ɛ ɛ ɛ ɛ e ɛ
/ɛr/ _V merry er er er er er er er ɛr ɛr ɛr ɛr ɛr ɛr ɛr ɛr ɛr er ɛɹ
/ɪ/ kit i ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ
/ɪr/ _V mirror ir ɪr ɪr ɪr ɪr ɪr ɪr ɪr ɪr ɪr ɪr ɪr ɪr ɪr ɪr ɪr ɪr ɪɹ
/ɒ/ lot ɔ ɒ ɑː ɒ ɑː ɒ ɒ ɒ ɒ ɒ ɒ ɒ ɑ ɑ ɑ ɒ o ɔ
/ɒr/ _V forage ɔr ɒr ɔːr ɒr ɔːr/​ɑː ɒr ɔːr/​ɑːr ɒr ɒr ɔr/​ɒr ɒr ɒr ɔr/​ɑr ɔr/​ɑr/​ɒr ɔr/​ɑr/​ɒr ɒr or,
AE: ɔr 		ɔɹ
/ʊ/ foot u ʊ ʊ ʊ ʊ ʊ ʊ ʊ ʊ ʊ ʊ ʊ ʊ ᴜ ᴜ ʊ ʊ ɵ
/ʊr/ _V courier ur ʊr ʊr ʊr/​ ɝː/​ʊr ʊr ʊr ʊr/​ʊər ʊər ɜr/​ʊər ʊr ʊr/​ʌr/​ʊər ʊr/​ər ᴜr/​ɝ ᴜr/​ɜr/​ʌr/​ɝ ʊr ʊr,
AE: ʊr/​ɜ 		ɵɹ
/ʌ/ strut ʌ ʌ ʌ ʌ ʌ ʌ ʌ ʌ ʌ ʌ ʌ ʌ ə ʌ ʌ ʌ ʌ ʌ
/ʌr/ _V hurry ʌr ʌr ɝ ʌr ɝː ʌr ɜːr ʌr ʌr ɜr/​ʌr ʌr ʌr ər ɝ ɜr/​ʌr/​ɝ ʌr ʌr,
AE: ɜ 		ʌɹ
WP example
word 		EPD
1930 		EPD
2003 		Longman OALD OED2 dict SOED OED3 K&K Mac WL CUBE
(BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (GA) (ES)

Free vowels

Free vowels
WP example
word 		EPD
1930 		EPD
2003 		Longman OALD OED2 dict SOED OED3 K&K Mac WL CUBE
(BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (GA) (ES)
/ɑː/ palm ɑː ɑː ɑː ɑː ɑː ɑː ɑː ɑː ɑː ɑ ɑː ɑː ɑ ɑ ɑ a ɑ ɑː
/ɑːr/ _∅ car ɑː* ɑːr ɑːr ɑː ɑːr ɑː(r) ɑːr ɑː(r) ɑː ɑr ɑː ɑː ɑr ɑr ɑː(r a ɑ(r) ɑː
_C start ɑː ɑː ɑːr ɑː ɑːr ɑː ɑːr ɑː ɑː ɑr ɑː ɑː ɑr ɑr ɑː a ɑ,
AE: ɑr 		ɑː
_V safari,
starry 		ɑːr ɑː.r ɑːr ɑːr ɑːr ɑːr ɑːr ɑːr ɑːr ɑr ɑːr ɑːr ɑr ɑr ɑr ar ɑr ɑːɹ
/aɪ/ price ai aɪ aɪ aɪ aɪ aɪ aɪ aɪ aɪ aɪ ʌɪ ʌɪ aɪ aɪ aɪ aɪ ɑɪ ɑj
/aɪər/ _∅ fire aiə* aɪər aɪɚ aɪ‿ə aɪ‿ər aɪə(r) aɪər aɪə(r)[lower-alpha 1] aɪə[lower-alpha 1] aɪər[lower-alpha 1] ʌɪə ʌɪə aɪ(ə)r aɪr aɪə(r aɪə ɑɪə(r) ɑjə
_C fireman aiə aɪə aɪɚ aɪ‿ə aɪ‿ər aɪə aɪər aɪə aɪə aɪər ʌɪə ʌɪə aɪ(ə)r aɪr aɪə aɪə ɑɪə,
AE: ɑɪər 		ɑjə
_V irony, firing aiər aɪə.r, aɪə.r[lower-alpha 2] aɪ.r, aɪɚ[lower-alpha 3] aɪər, aɪ‿ər[lower-alpha 4] aɪər, aɪ‿ər[lower-alpha 5] aɪr aɪr aɪər aɪr aɪ r ʌɪr, ʌɪər[lower-alpha 6] ʌɪr, ʌɪər[lower-alpha 7] aɪr, aɪ(ə)r[lower-alpha 8] aɪr aɪr aɪər ɑɪər ɑjɹ
/aɪ.ər/ _∅ flyer,
higher 		aiə* aɪ.ər aɪ.ɚ aɪ‿ə aɪ‿ər aɪə(r) aɪər aɪə(r) aɪə aɪ ər ʌɪə ʌɪə aɪər aɪɚ aɪ•ə(r aɪə ɑɪə(r) ɑjə
/aʊ/ mouth au aʊ aʊ aʊ aʊ aʊ aʊ aʊ aʊ aʊ aʊ aʊ aʊ aᴜ aᴜ aʊ ɑʊ aw
/aʊər/ _∅ flour,
hour 		auə* aʊər aʊr, aʊr/​aʊɚ[lower-alpha 9] aʊ‿ə aʊ‿ər aʊə(r) aʊər aʊə(r)[lower-alpha 1] aʊə aʊər/​aʊ ər aʊə aʊə[lower-alpha 1] aʊ(ə)r[lower-alpha 1] aᴜr aᴜə(r aʊə ɑʊə(r) ɑwə
_C hourglass,
hourly 		auə aʊə aʊr/​aʊɚ aʊ‿ə aʊ‿ər aʊə aʊər aʊə aʊə aʊər/​aʊ ər aʊə aʊə aʊər aᴜr aᴜə aʊə ɑwə
_V floury auər aʊə.r aʊə.r aʊ‿ər aʊ‿ər aʊər aʊər aʊər aʊər[lower-alpha 10] aʊər/​aʊ ə r aʊər aʊər aᴜr aᴜər aʊər ɑwɹ
/aʊ.ər/ _∅ flower auə* aʊər aʊɚ aʊ‿ə aʊ‿ər aʊə(r) aʊər aʊə(r) aʊə aʊ ər aʊə aʊə/​aʊə[lower-alpha 1] aʊər aᴜɚ/​aᴜr aᴜ•ə(r/​aᴜə(r aʊə ɑʊə(r) ɑwə
_C flowerbed auə aʊə aʊɚ aʊ‿ə aʊ‿ər aʊə aʊər aʊə aʊə[lower-alpha 11] aʊər aʊə aᴜr aᴜə aʊə ɑʊə,
AE: ɑʊər 		ɑwə
_V flowery auər aʊə.r aʊɚ aʊ‿ər aʊ‿ər aʊər aʊər aʊər aʊər aʊ ə r aʊər aʊər aʊ(r)r aᴜr aᴜər aʊər ɑwəɹ
/eɪ/ face ei eɪ eɪ eɪ eɪ eɪ eɪ eɪ eɪ eɪ eɪ eɪ eɪ e e eɪ eɪ ɛj
/ɛər/ _∅ square ɛə* eər er eə eər/​æər eə(r) er ɛə(r) ɛə ɛər ɛː ɛː ɛ(ə)r ɛr/​ær æə(r,
E: ɛə(r 		ɛə eə,
AE: eər 		ɛː
_C bairn ɛə eə er eə eər eə er ɛə ɛə ɛər ɛː ɛː ɛr ɛr/​ær/​er æə/​eə,
E: ɛə 		ɛə eə,
AE: eər 		ɛː
_V fairy ɛər eə.r er eər eər er ɛər ɛər ɛər ɛːr ɛːr ɛr ɛr/​ɛːr/​ær ɛr/​ɛːr/​ær,
S: ær/​er 		ɛər eər ɛːɹ
/eɪ.ər/ _∅ prayer[lower-alpha 12],
layer 		eiə* eɪ.ər, eɪ.ər/eər[lower-alpha 13] eɪ.ɚ eɪ ə eɪ ər eɪə(r)/​eə(r) er eɪə(r) eɪə eɪ ər eɪə eɪə eɪər/​ɛ(ə)r e•ɚ e•ə(r eɪə eɪə(r) ɛjə
/iː/ fleece iː iː iː iː iː iː iː iː iː i iː iː i i i i i ɪj
/ɪər/ _∅ near iə* ɪər ɪr ɪə ɪər ɪə(r) ɪr ɪə(r) ɪə ɪər ɪə ɪə ɪ(ə)r ɪr ɪə(r ɪə ɪə(r) ɪː
_C beard iə ɪə ɪr ɪə ɪər ɪə ɪr ɪə ɪə ɪər ɪə ɪə ɪ(ə)r ɪr ɪə ɪə ɪə,
AE: ɪər 		ɪː
_V eerie iər ɪə.r ɪr ɪər ɪr ɪər ɪr iːr ɪər ɪər ɪər ɪər ɪr ɪr/​ir ɪr/​ir ɪər ɪər ɪːɹ
/iːər/ _∅ seer,
freer 		i(ː)ə* iː.ər/ɪər, iː.ər[lower-alpha 14] iː.ɚ iː‿ə iː‿ər ɪə(r) ɪr ɪə(r)/​iːə(r), iːə(r)[lower-alpha 15] iːə[lower-alpha 16] i ər ɪə/​iːə iːə/​ɪə iər/​ɪ(ə)r iɚ i•ə(r ɪə ɪə(r) ɪjə
/ɔː/ thought ɔː ɔː ɑː/​ɔː ɔː ɑː ɔː ɔː ɔː ɔː ɔ ɔː ɔː ɔ ɔ ɔ ɔ ɔ oː
/ɔːr/ _∅ war ɔː*/​ɔə* ɔːr ɔːr ɔː ɔːr ɔː(r) ɔːr ɔː(r) ɔː ɔr ɔː ɔː ɔ(ə)r ɔr ɔə(r ɔ ɔ(r) oː
_C north ɔː ɔː ɔːr ɔː ɔːr ɔː ɔːr ɔː ɔː ɔr ɔː ɔː ɔ(ə)r ɔr ɔə ɔ ɔ,
AE: ɔr 		oː
_V aural ɔːr ɔː.r ɔːr ɔːr ɔːr ɔːr ɔːr ɔːr ɔːr ɔr ɔːr ɔːr ɔr ɔr ɔr ɔr ɔr oːɹ
/ɔːər/ _∅ drawer[lower-alpha 17],
rawer 		ɔːə* ɔː.ər ɑː.ɚ/​ɔː.ɚ ɔːr ə ɔː‿ər/​ɑː‿ər ɔːə(r) ɔːər ɔːə(r) ɔːə ɔ ər ɔː(r)ə ɔːə ɔ•ɚ ɔ•ə(r ɔə ɔə(r)
/oʊ/ goat ou əʊ oʊ əʊ oʊ əʊ oʊ əʊ əʊ oʊ əʊ əʊ oʊ o o oʊ əʊ əw
/ɔːr/ _∅ ore ɔː*/​ɔə* ɔːr ɔːr ɔː ɔːr/​oʊr ɔː(r) ɔːr ɔə(r) ɔː ɔr/​oʊr ɔː ɔ(ə)r or/​ɔr oə(r ɔ ɔ(r) oː
_C force ɔː ɔː ɔːr ɔː ɔːr/​oʊr ɔː ɔːr ɔə ɔː ɔr/​oʊr ɔː ɔː ɔ(ə)r or/​ɔr oə ɔ ɔ,
AE: ɔr 		oː
_V oral ɔːr ɔː.r ɔːr ɔːr ɔːr/​oʊr ɔːr ɔːr ɔər ɔːr/​ɒr ɔr/​oʊr ɔːr ɔːr ɔr or/​ɔr or/​ɔr,
S: or 		ɒr ɔr,
AE: or 		oːɹ
/oʊ.ər/ _∅ mower,
lower[lower-alpha 18] 		ouə* əʊ.ər oʊ.ɚ əʊ ə oʊ ər əʊə(r) oʊər əʊə(r) əʊə oʊ ər əʊə əʊə oʊər o•ə(r o•ə(r oʊə əʊə,
AE: əʊər 		əwə
/ɔɪ/ choice ɔi ɔɪ ɔɪ ɔɪ ɔɪ ɔɪ ɔɪ ɔɪ ɔɪ ɔɪ ɔɪ ɔɪ ɔɪ ɔɪ ɔɪ ɔɪ ɔɪ oj
/ɔɪər/ _∅ coir ɔiə* ɔɪər ɔɪr ɔɪ ə ɔɪər ɔɪə(r) ɔɪər ɔɪə(r) ɔɪə[lower-alpha 1] ɔɪr ɔɪə ɔɪə ɔɪr ɔɪə(r ɔɪə ojə
/ɔɪ.ər/ _∅ employer ɔiə* ɔɪ.ər ɔɪ.ɚ ɔɪ ə ɔɪ ər ɔɪə(r) ɔɪər ɔɪə(r) ɔɪə ɔɪ ər ɔɪə ɔɪə ɔɪ(j)ər/​ɔjər uə/​ɔjɚ ɔɪ•ə(r/​ɔjə(r ɔɪə ojə
/uː/ goose uː uː uː uː uː uː uː uː uː u uː uː u u u u u ʉw
/ʊər/ _∅ cure uə*/​oə*/​ɔə*/​ɔː* ʊə ʊr ʊə/​ɔː ʊər ʊə(r) ʊr ʊə(r) ʊə ʊər ʊə ʊə/​ɔː ʊ(ə)r ᴜr ᴜə(r uə/​ʊə ʊə(r) ɵː/​oː[lower-alpha 19]
_C procurement,
poorness 		uə/​oə/​ɔə/​ɔː ʊə/ɔː, ɔː/ʊə[lower-alpha 20] ʊr ɔː/​ʊə ʊr/​ɔːr ʊə, ɔː/ʊə[lower-alpha 21] ʊr, ɔːr/ʊr[lower-alpha 22] ʊə ʊə ʊər ʊə ʊə/​ɔː ur/​ʊr ᴜr ᴜə/​oə/​ɔə ɔ ʊə/​ɔ,
AE: ʊər 		ɵː, oː[lower-alpha 23]
_V fury uər/​oər/​ɔər/​ɔːr ʊə.r ʊr ʊər/​ɔːr ʊr ʊər ʊr ʊər ʊər ʊər ʊər ʊər/ɔːr ur, ʊr[lower-alpha 24] ᴜr ᴜr ur ʊər ɵːɹ/​oːɹ
/uːər/ _∅ fewer,
sewer[lower-alpha 25] 		uə*/​oə* uː.ər, ʊər[lower-alpha 26] uː.ɚ uː‿ə uː‿ər uːə(r) uːər uːə(r) uːə u ər uːə uːə uər/​ʊər u•ɚ u•ə(r uə uə(r) ʉwə
/ɜːr/ _∅ fur əː* ɜːr ɝː ɜː ɝː ɜː(r) ɜːr ɜː(r) ɜː ɜr əː əː ər ɝ ɜ(r/​ɝ ɜ ɜ əː
_C nurse əː ɜː ɝː ɜː ɝː ɜː ɜːr ɜː ɜː ɜr əː əː ər ɝ ɜ/​ɝ ɜ ɜ əː
_V furry əːr ɜː.r ɝː ɜːr ɝː ɜːr ɜːr ɜːr ɜːr ɜr əːr əːr ər ɝ ɜr/​ɝ ɜr ɜr əːɹ
WP example
word 		EPD
1930 		EPD
2003 		Longman OALD OED2 dict SOED OED3 K&K Mac WL CUBE
(BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (GA) (ES)
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 If there are no other syllables, the word bears no stress mark, indicating a mono-syllabic pronunciation.
  2. ↑ EPD (BE): /aɪə.r/ in irony, Irish; /aɪə.r/ in firing.
  3. ↑ EPD (AE): /aɪ.r/ in irony, Irish; /aɪɚ/ in firing.
  4. ↑ Longman (BE): /aɪər/ in irony; /aɪ‿ər/ in firing.
  5. ↑ Longman (AE): /aɪər/ in irony; /aɪ‿ər/ in firing.
  6. ↑ SOED: /ʌɪr/ in irony; /ʌɪər/ in firing.
  7. ↑ OED3 (BE): /ʌɪr/ in irony; /ʌɪər/ in firing.
  8. ↑ OED3 (AE): /aɪr/ in irony; /aɪ(ə)r/ in firing.
  9. ↑ EPD (AE): /aʊr/ in flour; /aʊr/ or /aʊɚ/ in hour.
  10. ↑ dict (BE): In dowry.
  11. ↑ dict (BE): In flowerless.
  12. ↑ Person who prays.
  13. ↑ EPD (BE): /eɪ.ər/ in prayer; /eɪ.ər/ or /eər/ in layer.
  14. ↑ EPD (BE): /iː.ər/ or /ɪər/ in seer; /iː.ər/ in freer.
  15. ↑ /ɪə(r)/ or /iːə(r)/ in seer; /iːə(r)/ in freer.
  16. ↑ dict (BE): In overseer.
  17. ↑ Person who draws.
  18. ↑ Cause to descend, or comp. of low.
  19. ↑ See english speech services | The British English vowel system.
  20. ↑ EPD (BE): /ʊə/ or /ɔː/ in procurement; /ɔː/ or /ʊə/ in poorhouse.
  21. ↑ OALD (BE): /ʊə/ in procurement; /ɔː/ or /ʊə/ in poorhouse.
  22. ↑ OALD (AE): /ʊr/ in procurement; /ɔːr/ or /ʊr/ in poorhouse.
  23. ↑ CUBE: /ɵː/ in procurement; /oː/ in poorhouse.
  24. ↑ OED3 (AE): /ur/ in fury; /ʊr/ in lurid.
  25. ↑ Drain.
  26. ↑ EPD (BE): /uː.ər/ in fewer; /ʊər/ in sewer.

Reduced vowels

Reduced vowels
WP example
word 		EPD
1930 		EPD
2003 		Longman OALD OED2 dict SOED OED3 K&K Mac WL CUBE
(BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (GA) (ES)
/ə/ comma, ago ə ə ə ə ə ə ə ə ə ə ə ə ə ə ə ə ə ə
/ən/ kitten n ən ən ən ən n n (ə)n ən n (ə)n n̩ ən n̩ n̩ n n ən
/əm/ rhythm m əm əm əm əm əm əm (ə)m əm əm əm m̩ əm əm/​m̩ əm/​m̩ əm m əm
/əl/ middle l l̩ l̩ əl əl l l (ə)l əl l (ə)l l̩/əl (ə)l l̩ l̩ l l əl
/ər/ _∅ letter ə* ər ɚ ə ər ə(r) ər ə(r) ə ər ə ə ər ɚ ə(r) ə ə(r) ə
_C bittersweet ə ə ɚ ə ər ə ər ə ə ər ə ə ər ɚ ɚ ə ə
_V murderer ər ər ɚ ‿ər ər ər ər ər ər[lower-alpha 1] ər (ə)r (ə)r ər ər ər ər ər əɹ
/i/ happy i i i i i i i ɪ ɪ i i i i ɪ ɪ i ɪ ɪj
/u/ situation, actuate u u u u u u u uː ʊ u ʊ ʊ əw ᴜ/​əw[lower-alpha 2] ᴜ/​əw[lower-alpha 3] u ʊ ʉw
/ɪ, ə/ roses, enough,
enounce, emission,
mistress 		i, i/ə, i/iː, i(ː)[lower-alpha 4] ɪ, ɪ/ə, ə/ɪ, ɪ/iː[lower-alpha 5] ɪ, ɪ/ə, ɪ/iː[lower-alpha 6] ɪ/ə, ɪ/ə/iː, ɪ/iː, ə/ɪ[lower-alpha 7] ə, ɪ/ə, ɪ/ə/iː, ɪ/iː, ə/ɪ[lower-alpha 8] ɪ, ə, i[lower-alpha 9] ɪ, ə, i[lower-alpha 10] ɪ ɪ ɪ ɪ, iː/ɪ[lower-alpha 11] ɪ, ᵻ[lower-alpha 12] ɪ, ə[lower-alpha 13] ɪ, ə/ɪ, i[lower-alpha 14] ɪ, ə/ɪ, i[lower-alpha 15] ə, ə/i, i[lower-alpha 16] ɪ, ɪ/ə, ə/ɪ[lower-alpha 17] ɪ, ə[lower-alpha 18]
/oʊ, ə/ follow, cooperate,
omission, kilogram 		ou, ou, o/ou/ə, o/ə[lower-alpha 19] əʊ, əʊ[lower-alpha 20] oʊ, oʊ/ə[lower-alpha 21] əʊ, əʊ, ə[lower-alpha 22] oʊ, oʊ/ə, ə[lower-alpha 23] əʊ, ə[lower-alpha 24] oʊ, ə[lower-alpha 25] əʊ, ə[lower-alpha 26] əʊ oʊ, ə[lower-alpha 27] əʊ, ə(ʊ), ə[lower-alpha 28] əʊ, ə(ʊ), ə[lower-alpha 29] oʊ, oʊ/ə, ə[lower-alpha 30] o/ə, o, ə[lower-alpha 31] o/ə, o, ə[lower-alpha 32] oʊ, oʊ/ə, ə[lower-alpha 33] əʊ, ə/əʊ, ə[lower-alpha 34] əw, ə[lower-alpha 35]
/ʊ, ə/ beautiful, curriculum u, u/ə[lower-alpha 36] ə/ʊ, ə/ʊ[lower-alpha 37] ə/ʊ, ə[lower-alpha 38] ə/ʊ, ʊ/ə[lower-alpha 39] ə/ʊ, ə[lower-alpha 40] –, ə[lower-alpha 41] –, ə[lower-alpha 42] ʊ ʊ ə ʊ/(ə), ʊ[lower-alpha 43] (ᵿ), ᵿ[lower-alpha 44] ə ə[lower-alpha 45] ə[lower-alpha 46] ʊ, ə[lower-alpha 47] –, ʊ[lower-alpha 48] ə
WP example
word 		EPD
1930 		EPD
2003 		Longman OALD OED2 dict SOED OED3 K&K Mac WL CUBE
(BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (BE) (AE) (GA) (ES)
  1. ↑ dict (BE): In murderous.
  2. ↑ K&K (GA): /ˌsɪtʃᴜˈeʃən/ or /ˌsɪtʃəˈweʃən/.
  3. ↑ K&K (ES): /ˌsɪtʃᴜˈeʃən/ or /ˌsɪtʃəˈweʃən/.
  4. ↑ EPD 1930: /i/ in roses, mistress; /i/ or /ə/ in enough; /i/ or /iː/ in emission; /i(ː)/ in enounce.
  5. ↑ EPD (BE): /ɪ/ in roses, enounce; /ɪ/ or /ə/ in enough; /ə/ or /ɪ/ in mistress; /ɪ/ or /iː/ in emission.
  6. ↑ EPD (AE): /ɪ/ in roses, enounce, mistres; /ɪ/ or /ə/ in enough; /ɪ/ or /iː/ in emission.
  7. ↑ Longman (BE): /ɪ/ or /ə/ in roses, enough; /ɪ/ or /ə, iː/ in emission; /ɪ/ or /iː/ in enounce; /ə/ or /ɪ/ in mistress.
  8. ↑ Longman (AE): /ə/ in roses; /ɪ/ or /ə/ in enough; /ɪ/ or /ə, iː/ in emission; /ɪ/ or /iː/ in enounce; /ə/ or /ɪ/ in mistress.
  9. ↑ OALD (BE): /ɪ/ in enough; /ə/ in mistress; /i/ in emission.
  10. ↑ OALD (AE): /ɪ/ in enough; /ə/ in mistress; /i/ in emission.
  11. ↑ SOED: /ɪ/ in enough, emission, mistress; /iː/ or /ɪ/ in enounce.
  12. ↑ OED3 (BE): /ɪ/ in enough, enounce, emission, react; /ᵻ/ in mistress, design, beautiful.
  13. ↑ OED3 (AE): /ɪ/ in enough, enounce, emission; /ə/ in mistress.
  14. ↑ K&K (GA): /ɪ/ in roses, emission, mistress; /ə/ or /ɪ/ in enough; /i/ in enounce.
  15. ↑ K&K (ES): /ɪ/ in roses, emission, mistress; /ə/ or /ɪ/ in enough; /i/ in enounce.
  16. ↑ Mac: /ə/ in roses, mistress; /ə/ or /i/ in emission, enough; /i/ in enounce.
  17. ↑ WL: /ɪ/ in emission; /ɪ/ or /ə/ in enough; /ə/ or /ɪ/ in mistress.
  18. ↑ CUBE: /ɪ/ in roses, enough, emission; /ə/ in mistress.
  19. ↑ EPD 1930: /ou/ in follow; /ou/ in cooperate; /o/ or /ou/, /ə/ in omission; /o/ or /ə/ in kilogram.
  20. ↑ EPD (BE): /əʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /əʊ/ in omission, kilogram.
  21. ↑ EPD (AE): /oʊ/ in follow, cooperate, omission; /oʊ/ or /ə/ in kilogram.
  22. ↑ Longman (BE): /əʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /əʊ/ in omission, kilobyte; /ə/ in kilogram.
  23. ↑ Longman (AE): /oʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /oʊ/ or /ə/ in omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
  24. ↑ OALD (BE): /əʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /ə/ in omission, kilogram.
  25. ↑ OALD (AE): /oʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /ə/ in omission, kilogram.
  26. ↑ OED2: /əʊ/ in follow, cooperate, omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
  27. ↑ dict (AE): /oʊ/ in cooperate, follow, omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
  28. ↑ SOED: /əʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /ə(ʊ)/ in omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
  29. ↑ OED3 (BE): /əʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /ə(ʊ)/ in omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
  30. ↑ OED (AE): /oʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /oʊ/ or /ə/ in omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
  31. ↑ K&K (GA): /o/ or /ə/ in follow; /o/ in cooperate, omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
  32. ↑ K&K (ES): /o/ or /ə/ in follow; /o/ in cooperate, omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
  33. ↑ Mac: /oʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /oʊ/ or /ə/ omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
  34. ↑ WL: /əʊ/ in follow, cooperate; /ə/ or /əʊ/ in omission; /ə/ in kilogram.
  35. ↑ CUBE: /əw/ in follow, cooperate; /ə/ in omission, kilogram.
  36. ↑ EPD 1930: /u/ in beautiful; /u/ or /ə/ in curriculum.
  37. ↑ EPD (BE): /ə/ or /ʊ/ in beautiful; /ə/ or /ʊ/ in curriculum.
  38. ↑ EPD (AE): /ə/ or /ʊ/ in beautiful; /ə/ in curriculum.
  39. ↑ Longman (BE): /ə/ or /ʊ/ in beautiful; /ʊ/ or /ə/ in curriculum.
  40. ↑ Longman (AE): /ə/ or /ʊ/ in beautiful; /ə/ in curriculum.
  41. ↑ OALD (BE): – in beautiful /ˈbjuːtɪfl/; /ə/ in curriculum.
  42. ↑ OALD (BE): – in beautiful /ˈbjuːtɪfl/; /ə/ in curriculum.
  43. ↑ SOED: /ʊ/ or /(ə)/ in beautiful; /ʊ/ in curriculum.
  44. ↑ OED3 (BE): /(ᵿ)/ in beautiful; /ᵿ/ in pendulum.
  45. ↑ K&K (GA): /ə/ in beautiful, curriculum.
  46. ↑ K&K (ES): /ə/ in beautiful, curriculum.
  47. ↑ Mac: /ʊ/ in beautiful; /ə/ in curriculum.
  48. ↑ WL: – in beautiful /ˈbjutəfl/; /ʊ/ in curriculum.

Stress

Stress need not be included in the notation of a monosyllabic word since it is self-evident. In phrases, however, it is advised to include stress even of a monosyllabic word because a lack of stress may indicate a different pronunciation than intended. For example, in the name Zack de la Rocha, Zack and Rocha have stress, but de la does not: /ˈzæk dɛlə ˈroʊtʃə/. It would therefore convey an incorrect pronunciation to leave the stress mark off Zack.

OED2 does not indicate stress on monosyllables, but uses the stress mark to disambiguate disyllables: higher (ˈhaɪə(r)) vs. hire (haɪə(r)). On WP, the distinction is made with the aid of the syllabification mark: /ˈhaɪ.ər/, /haɪər/.

Dictionaries also disagree on secondary stress. Generally, any stressed syllable prior to the last is marked as secondary (/ˌzæk dɛlə ˈroʊtʃə/), and that convention is followed here. However, several dictionaries also mark full (unreduced) vowels as having secondary stress when they come after the primary stress, even though they are not actually stressed: cerebrate, dict.com /ˈsɛrəˌbreɪt/, OED2 (ˈsɛrɪbreɪt). This practice is avoided on Wikipedia; if you have a word transcribed /ˈCVˌCV/, it should probably be /ˈCVCV/: /ˈsɛrɪbreɪt/.

References

  • Jones, Daniel (1930). An English Pronouncing Dictionary (Revised ed.). London, Toronto: J. M. Dent & Sons. 
  • Jones, Daniel (2003). Peter Roach. ed. English Pronouncing Dictionary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 
  • Kenyon, John Samuel; Knott, Thomas Albert (1953). A Pronouncing Dictionary of American English. Springfield, Mass.: Merriam. 
  • The Macquarie Dictionary. McMahons Point, NSW, Australia: Macquary Library. 1982. 
  • Wells, J. C. (2003). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. Longman. 
  • Windsor Lewis, J. (1972). A Concise Pronouncing Dictionary of British and American English. London: Oxford University Press. 

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