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The Language Sounds That Could Exist, But Don't

Tom Scott・6 minutes read

English spelling complexity stems from loan words and historical influences, resulting in pronunciation inconsistencies. The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) offers a standardized system for representing all spoken language sounds, based on the Roman alphabet with Greek letters and designed for easy typing without excessive diacritics.

Insights

  • English spelling complexity arises from historical influences and loan words, causing pronunciation inconsistencies.
  • The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) offers a standardized system based on the Roman alphabet and Greek letters to represent sounds across languages, categorizing them by articulation and providing symbols for consonants, vowels, and extensions.

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Recent questions

  • Why is English spelling complex?

    Due to loan words and historical influences.

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Summary

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Complex English Spelling and the IPA

  • English spelling is complex due to various loan words and historical influences, leading to inconsistencies in pronunciation.
  • The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) was developed in the late 19th century to provide a standardized system for representing the sounds of all spoken languages.
  • The IPA is based on the Roman alphabet with some Greek letters, designed to be easily typed and avoiding excessive diacritics.
  • The IPA categorizes sounds based on place and manner of articulation, with symbols for consonants, vowels, diacritics, and extensions.
  • Some sounds, like velar trills and glottal laterals, are deemed impossible for humans to produce due to physical limitations.
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