Cursive forms of the International Phonetic Alphabet

Early specifications for the International Phonetic Alphabet included cursive forms of the letters designed for use in manuscripts and when taking field notes. However, the 1999 Handbook of the International Phonetic Association said:

There are cursive forms of IPA symbols, but it is doubtful if these are much in use today. They may have been of greater use when transcription by hand was the only way of recording speech, and so speed was essential. The cursive forms are harder for most people to decipher, and it is preferable to use handwritten versions which closely copy the printed form of the symbols.[1]

Development edit

 
The cursive forms of the IPA presented in the 1912 edition of The principles of the International Phonetic Association. Two of these letters are obsolete: ǥ is now ɣ, and is now ɸ.
 ʈɖɟʔɓɗɳȠɲŋɫɬɮɭʎɽɼʀɸβθðʃʒzɹᶊᶎçɕʑɣʕɦɥʋʇʖʗɛaɑɔøœəʌæɐɜɪʊʏɒɤɯᶏᶗᶕː
The cursive forms of the IPA presented in the 1949 edition. Hover over the image to see modern printed letters. Click on any letter for a link to the corresponding article.

Example edit

The following passage is from the 1912 handbook:

 
The North Wind and the Sun spoken in 'Northern English'
IPA Orthography

ðə nɔrθ wind ænd ðə sʌn wər dispjuːtiŋ
hwitʃ wɔz ðə strɔŋɡər hwɛn ə trævələr keːm əlɔŋ
ræpt in ə wɔrm kloːk. ðeː əɡriːd ðət ðə wʌn huː fərst
meːd ðə trævələr teːk ɔf hiz kloːk ʃud bi konsidərd
strɔŋɡər ðæn ði ʌðər. ðɛn ðə nɔrθ wind bluː wið ɔːl
hiz mait, bʌt ðə mɔr hiː bluː ðə mɔr kloːsli did ðə
trævələr foːld hiz kloːk əraund him; ænd æt lɑst ðə nɔrθ
wind ɡeːv ʌp ði ətɛmpt. ðɛn ðə sʌn ʃɔn aut wɔrmli, ænd
imiːdjətli ðə trævələr tuk ɔf hiz kloːk; ænd soː ðə nɔrθ wind
wɔz oblaidʒd tu konfɛs ðæt ðə sʌn wɔz ðə strɔŋɡər ɔv ðə tuː.

The North Wind and the Sun were disputing
which was the stronger when a traveller came along
wrapped in a warm cloak. They agreed that the one who first
made the traveller take off his cloak should be considered
stronger than the other. Then the North Wind blew with all
his might, but the more he blew the more closely did the
traveller fold his cloak around him; and at last the North
Wind gave up the attempt. Then the Sun shone out warmly, and
immediately the traveller took off his cloak; and so the North Wind
was obliged to confess that the Sun was the stronger of the two.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ International Phonetic Association (1999). Handbook of the International Phonetic Association: A Guide to the Use of the International Phonetic Alphabet. Cambridge University Press. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-52163751-0.