Observations on the phonetic realization of opaque schwa ...
The Schwa
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Transcript of The Schwa
The Schwa
Hieronymus Bosch: The Garden of Earthly Delights
Why aren’t words always spelled as they are pronounced?
28%
28%
25%
10%
5%3%
FrenchLatinGermanicUnknown/OtherGreekFrom Proper Names
Origin of Words in the English Language
Before foreign words were borrowed…
Ða wæs on burgum Beowulf Scyldinga, leof leodcyning, longe þrage folcum gefræge (fæder ellor hwearf, aldor of earde), oþþæt him eft onwoc heah Healfdene; heold þenden lifde, gamol ond guðreouw, glæde Scyldingas.
Now Beowulf bode in the burg of the Scyldings,leader beloved, and long he ruledin fame with all folk, since his father had goneaway from the world, till awoke an heir,haughty Healfdene, who held through life,sage and sturdy, the Scyldings glad.
Old English Translation
Excerpt taken from Beowulf, lines 53-58
/trænˈskrɪpʃən/
Where is the “schwa”?
What is the IPA?
• International Phonetic Alphabet• Spell words as pronounced• For every language … even English!
IPA - Consonants
• Most consonants stay the same.• Voiceless are paired with voiced• A few extra symbols are used.
Bilabial Labio-dental
Dental Alveolar Post-alveolar
Palatal Velar Labio-velar
Glottal
Nasal m n ŋ
Plosive p, b t, d k, g
Affr. tʃ, dʒ
Fric. f, v θ, ð s, z ʃ, ʒ h
Flap
Appr. ɹ j w
Lateral l
IPA - Vowels• Each vowel sound has its own symbol• Unrelated to English alphabet
i ɪ ue ə oɛ ɔæa
The schwa
əExamples:
• About• Supply• Under• Cover• Compatible
Examples taken from http://www.dictionary.com/
/əˈbaʊt//səˈplaɪ//ˈʌndər//ˈkʌvər//kəmˈpætəbəl/
Is the dictionary wrong?
The Spelling List.
1. Hos - pi - tal3. Ac - cep - ta - ble5. A - ban - don
Transcriptions taken from http://www.merriam-webster.com/
\ˈhäs-(ˌ)pi-təl\\ik-ˈsep-tə-bəl\\ə-ˈban-dən\
The Brothers Grimm
• Jacob (1785-1863)• Wilhelm (1786-1859)• Were German linguists• Collected fairytales• Invented the schwa
Famous Grimm Fairytales
• Rumpelstiltskin• Snow White• Hansel and Gretel• Rapunzel• Cinderella• The Frog Prince• Sleeping Beauty
Online Dictionaries
• Dictionary.com (IPA)• Merriam Webster Dictionary (IPA)• Oxford English Dictionary (not IPA, no audio)
InconsistenciesRectangle
• /ˈrɛkˌtæŋgəl/ Dictionary.com• /ˈrek-ˌtaŋ-gəl/ Merriam-Webster• /ˈrekˌtaNGgəl/ OED
InconsistenciesMetropolitan
• /ˌmɛtrəˈpɒlɪtn/ Dictionary.com• /ˌme-trə-ˈpä-lə-tən/ Merriam-Webster• /ˌmetrəˈpälitn/ OED
InconsistenciesSuburban
• /ɛnˈdɛvər/ Dictionary.com• /in-ˈde-vər/ Merriam-Webster• /enˈdevər/ OED
Why are the transcriptions different?