# Pronunciation respelling for English

A pronunciation respelling for English is a notation used to convey the pronunciation of words in the English language, which do not have a phonemic orthography (i.e. the spelling does not reliably indicate pronunciation).
There are two basic types of pronunciation respelling:
* "Phonemic" systems, as commonly found in American dictionaries, consistently use one symbol per English phoneme. These systems are conceptually equivalent to the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) commonly used in bilingual dictionaries and scholarly writings but tend to use symbols based on English rather than Romance-language spelling conventions (e.g. ē for IPA /i/) and avoid non-alphabetic symbols (e.g. sh for IPA /ʃ/).
* On the other hand, "non-phonemic" or "newspaper" systems, commonly used in newspapers and other non-technical writings, avoid diacritics and literally "respell" words making use of well-known English words and spelling conventions, even though the resulting system may not have a one-to-one mapping between symbols and sounds.
As an example, one pronunciation of Arkansas, transcribed /ˈɑːrkənsɔː/ in the IPA, could be respelled är′kən-sô′ or AR-kən-saw in a phonemic system, and arken-saw in a non-phonemic system.

## Development and use

Pronunciation respelling systems for English have been developed primarily for use in dictionaries. They are used there because it is not possible to predict with certainty the sound of a written English word from its spelling or the spelling of a spoken English word from its sound. So readers looking up an unfamiliar word in a dictionary may find, on seeing the pronunciation respelling, that the word is in fact already known to them orally. By the same token, those who hear an unfamiliar spoken word may see several possible matches in a dictionary and must rely on the pronunciation respellings to find the correct match.
Traditional respelling systems for English use only the 26 ordinary letters of the Latin alphabet with diacritics, and are meant to be easy for native readers to understand. English dictionaries have used various such respelling systems to convey phonemic representations of the spoken word since Samuel Johnson published his Dictionary of the English Language in 1755, the earliest being devised by James Buchanan was featured in his 1757 dictionary Linguæ Britannicæ Vera Pronunciatio, although most words therein were not respelled but given diacritics; since the language described by Buchanan was that of Scotland, William Kenrick responded in 1773 with A New Dictionary of the English Language, wherein the pronunciation of Southern England was covered and numbers rather than diacritics used to represent vowel sounds; Thomas Sheridan devised a simpler scheme, which he employed in his successful 1780 General Dictionary of the English Language, a much larger work consisting of two volumes; in 1791 John Walker produced A Critical Pronouncing Dictionary, which achieved a great reputation and ran into some forty editions. Today, such systems remain in use in American dictionaries for native English speakers, but they have been replaced by the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) in linguistics references and many bilingual dictionaries published outside the United States.
The pronunciation which dictionaries refer to is some chosen "normal" one, thereby excluding other regional accents or dialect pronunciation. In England this standard is normally the Received Pronunciation, based upon the educated speech of southern England. The standard for American English is known as General American (GA).
Sophisticated phonetic systems have been developed, such as James Murray's scheme for the original Oxford English Dictionary, and the IPA, which replaced it in later editions and has been adopted by many British and international dictionaries. The IPA system is not a respelling system, because it uses symbols not in the English alphabet, such as ð and θ. Most current British dictionaries use IPA for this purpose.

## Traditional respelling systems

The following chart matches the IPA symbols used to represent the sounds of the English language with the phonetic symbols used in several dictionaries, a majority of which transcribe American English.
These works 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 adhere and thus have several different symbols for the same sound (partly to allow for different phonemic mergers and splits).
Consonants :
| IPA | K&K | APA | NOAD | AHD | RHD | WBO | MECD | DPL | DPN | TBD | NBC | MWCD | OED | COD | POD | Cham | CPD | SD | BLD | AB | Dictcom | BBC | Google | Mac | Wikipedia | Examples |
| tʃ | tʃ | č | ᴄʜ | ch | c͜h | ch | ch | c̷h | ch | ch | ch | ch | ch, tch | ch | ch | ch | ch | ch | ch | ch | ch | ch, tch | ch | ch | ch, tch | church |
| ɡ | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g | g, gh | game |
| h | h | h | h | h | h | h | h | h | h | h | h | h | h | h | h | h | h | h | h | hh | h | h | h | h | h | hat |
| hw | hw | hw | (h)w | hw | hw | hw | hw | | | hw | | hw | hw | | hw | (h)w | | w | hw | | hw | | | | wh | which |
| dʒ | dʒ | ǯ | j | j | j | j | j | j | j | j | j | j | j | j | j | j | j | j | j | jh | j | j | j | j | j | judge |
| k | k | k | k | k | k | k | k | k | k | k | k | k | k, ck | k | k | k | k | k | k | k | k | k | k | k | k | kick |
| x | x | x | ᴋʜ | ᴋʜ | ᴋ͜ʜ | kh | | | | ʜ | | ḵ | kh | (χ) | k͟h | hh | xh | | | | ᴋʜ | kh | | | kh | loch (Scottish and Irish) Buch (German) |
| ŋ | ŋ | ŋ | ɴɢ | ng | n͡g | ng | ng | ŋ | ng | ng | ng | ŋ | ng | ng | ng | ng | ng | ng | ng | ng | ng | ng (ng-g, nk) | ng | ng | ng | thing |
| s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s, ss | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s, ss | sauce |
| ʃ | ʃ | š | ꜱʜ | sh | s͜h | sh | sh | s̷h | sh | sh | sh | sh | sh | sh | sh | sh | sh | sh | sh | sh | sh | sh | sh | sh | sh | ship |
| θ | θ | θ | ᴛʜ | th | t͜h | th | th | t̷h | th | th | th | th | th | th | th | th | th | th | th | th | th | th | th | th | th | thin |
| ð | ð | ð | ᴛ͟ʜ | 𝑡ℎ | ᵺ | th | t͟h | 𝑡̷h | ᵺ | T̶H | th꞉ | t͟h | dh | dh | t͟h | dh | dh | TH | t͟h | dh | 𝑡ℎ | dh | th | dh | dh | this |
| j | j | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | yes |
| ʒ | ʒ | ž | ᴢʜ | zh | z͜h | zh | z͟h | z̷h | zh | zh | zh | zh | zh | zh | z͟h | zh | zh | zh | zh | zh | zh | zh | zh | zh | zh | vision |
| The following letters have the same values in all systems listed: b, d, f, l, m, n, p, r, t, v, w, z. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vowels |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IPA | K&K | APA | NOAD | AHD | RHD | WBO | MECD | DPL | DPN | TBD | NBC | MWCD | OED | COD | POD | Cham | CPD | SD | BLD | AB | Dictcom | BBC | Google AmE, BrE | Mac | Wikipedia | Examples |
| æ | æ | æ | a | ă | a | a | a | a | a | a | a | a | a | ă | a | a | a | a | a | ae | a | a (arr) | a | a | a (arr) | cat |
| eɪ | e | e(y) | ā | ā | ā | ay | ay | ā | ay | ā | ay | ā | ay | ā | ay | ā | eh | ay, a_e | ay | ey | ey | ay | ei | ay | ay | day |
| ɛər | ɛr | εr | e(ə)r | âr | âr | air | air | – | – | âr | air | er | air | ār | air | ār, er | air | air | air | eh r | air | air | ehr, euh | air | air | hair |
| ɑː | ɑ | a | ä | ä | ä | ah | aa | ä | aw, o | ä | ah | ä, ȧ | ah | ah | aa | ä | ah | ah | ah | aa | ah | aa | aa | ah | ah | father |
| ɑːr | ɑr | ar | är | är | är | ahr | aar | är | – | är | ahr | är | ar | a͡r | aar | är | ah | ar | ahr | aa r | ahr | ar | aar, aa | ah | ar | arm |
| ɛ | ɛ | ε | e | ĕ | e | eh | e | e | ɛ | e | e | e | e | ě | e | e | e | e | e | eh | e | e (err) | e/eh | e | e (err) | let |
| iː | i | i(y) | ē | ē | ē | ee | ee | ē | ē | ē | ee | ē | ee | ē | ee | ē | ee | ee | ee | iy | ee | ee | ee | ee | ee | see |
| ɪər | ɪr | ιr | i(ə)r | îr | ēr | ihr | eer | | | ir | ier | ir | eer | ēr | eer | ēr | | ihr | eer | iy r | eer | eer | eer, eeuh | ear | eer | here |
| ɪ | ɪ | ɪ | i | ĭ | i | ih | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | ǐ | i | i | i | i | i | ih | i | i (irr) | i | i | i (irr) | pit |
| aɪ | aɪ | ay | ī | ī | ī | y | ī | ī | y | ī | igh | ī | igh | ī | ī | ī | ai | eye, i_e, ye | ɪ | ay | ahy | igh, y | ai | uy | y, eye | by |
| ɒ | ɑ | a | ä | ŏ | o | o | o | ä | o | o | ah | ä | o | ǒ | o | o | o | o | o | aa | o | o (orr) | aa, o | o | o (orr) | pot |
| oʊ | o | o(w) | ō | ō | ō | oh | ō | ō | ō | ō | oh | ō | oh | ō | ō | ō | oh | oh, o_e | oh | ow | oh | oh | ow | oh | oh | no |
| ɔː | ɔ | ɔ | ô | ô | ô | aw | aw | ô | aw, o | ô | aw | ȯ | aw | aw | aw | ö | aw | aw | aw | ao | aw | aw | aa, aw | aw | aw | caught |
| ɔːr | ɔr | ɔr | ôr | ôr | | | | | | ôr | awr | ȯr | or | | | ör | aw | or | or | ao r | awr | or | or, aw | aw | or | north |
| ɔːr | or | o(w)r | ôr | ôr | | | | | | ôr | awr | ȯr | or | | | ōr, ör | aw | or | or | ao r | awr, ohr | or | or, aw | aw | or | force |
| ɔɪ | ɔɪ | ɔy | oi | oi | oi | oy | oy | oi | oy | oi | oi | ȯi | oy | oi | oy | oi | oy | oi | oy | oy | oi | oy | oy | oy | oy | noise |
| ʊ | ᴜ | ᴜ | o͝o | o͝o | o͝o | u | o͝o | oo | u | u̇ | oo | u̇ | uu | o͝o | o͝o | ŭ | uu | u | uu | uh | 𝑜𝑜 | uu | u | oo | uu | took |
| ʊər | ᴜr | ᴜr | o͝or | o͝or | o͝or | ur | oor | | | u̇r | oor | u̇r | oor | oor | | oor | | oor | oor | uh r | 𝑜𝑜r | oor | oor, uor | oouh | oor | tour |
| uː | u | u(w) | o͞o | o͞o | o͞o | oo | oo | o͞o | ū | ü | oo꞉ | ü | oo | o͞o | o͞o | oo | oo | oo | oo | uw | oo | oo | oo | ooh | oo | soon |
| aʊ | aᴜ | aw | ou | ou | ou | ow | ow | ou | ow | ou | ow | au̇ | ow | ow | ow | ow | ow | ou | ow | aw | ou | ow | aw | ow | ow | out |
| ʌ | ʌ | ʌ | ə | ŭ | u | uh | u | u | ꭒ | u | uh | ə | u | ǔ | u | u | u | uh | ə | ah | uh | u | uh | u | u | cut |
| ɜːr | ɜr | ər | ər | ûr | ûr | ur | ur | ʉr | er | ėr | er | ər | ur | e͡r | ər | ûr | ur | ur | ər | er | ur | ur | ur, uh | er | ur | word |
| ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | ə | uh | ə | ə | e | ə | uh | ə | uh | 𝑎, 𝑒, 𝑖, 𝑜, 𝑢 | ə | ə | uh | uh | ə | ah | 𝑢ℎ | uh | uh | uh | ə | about |
| ər | ɚ | ər | ər | ər | ər | uhr | ər | ər | er | ər | er | ər | ur | er | ər | ər | uh | ur | ər | er | er | uhr | r, uh | uh | ər | butter |
| juː | ju | yu | yo͞o | yo͞o | yo͞o | yoo | yoo | yo͞o | yū | yü | yoo꞉ | yü | yoo | ū | yo͞o | ū | | yoo | yoo | y uw | yoo | yoo | yoo | yooh | ew | view |
| Stress |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IPA | K&K | APA | NOAD | AHD | RHD | WBO | MECD | DPL | DPN | TBD | NBC | MWCD | OED | COD | POD | Cham | CPD | SD | BLD | AB | Dictcom | BBC | Google | Mac | Wikipedia | Examples |
| ˈa | ˈa | á | ˈa | a′ | a′ | á | | a′ | a′ | a′ | A | ˈa | A | a· | á | a' | a | a | a | 1 | a | A | a | (')a | A | primary stress |
| ˌa | ˌa | à | ˌa | a′ | a′ | á | | a′ | a | a′ | a | ˌa | a | (a·) | á | a | | a | a | 2 | a | a | a | .a | A | secondary stress |
| a | ˌa | a | a | a′ | a′ | a | | a′ | a | a′ | a | ˌa | a | (a·) | a | a | | a | a | 0 | a | a | a | a | a | tertiary stress |

### Title abbreviations

* IPA – Compromise dialect-neutral English pronunciation using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), as used in Wikipedia.
* K&K – General American pronunciation using symbols largely corresponding to those of the IPA in A Pronouncing Dictionary of American English (also referred to as Kenyon and Knott) (1944 [1953]), John S. Kenyon, Thomas A. Knott. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster.
* APA – Americanist phonetic notation, used primarily in linguistics literature in the U.S.
* NOAD – New Oxford American Dictionary (2001, 2005, 2010). New York: Oxford University Press. (Diacritical transcription).
* AHD – American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000). Boston: Houghton-Mifflin. Also used by the Columbia Encyclopedia.
* RHD – Random House Dictionary of the English Language (1966).
* WBO – World Book Online (1998).
* MECD – Microsoft Encarta College Dictionary.
* DPL – Dictionary of Pronunciation, Abraham Lass and Betty Lass.
* DPN – Dictionary of Pronunciation, Samuel Noory.
* TBD – Thorndike Barnhart Dictionary.
* NBC – NBC Handbook of Pronunciation.
* MWCD – Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.
* OED – Oxford English Dictionary.
* COD – The Concise Oxford Dictionary (1964 [1974]), 5th edition, E. McIntosh, ed. Oxford: OUP. (This notation was used up to the 7th edition; newer editions use the IPA.)
* POD – The Pocket Oxford Dictionary (2006), 2nd edition, E. Jewell, Oxford: OUP.
* Cham – The Chambers Dictionary (2003).
* CPD – The Chambers Paperback Dictionary (2012).
* SD – Scholastic Dictionary.
* BLD – Black's Law Dictionary.
* AB – ARPABET, a commonly used computerized encoding of English pronunciation. It is used by the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary.
* Dictcom – Dictionary.com uses a custom phonetic alphabet.
* BBC – BBC Phonetic Respelling.
* Google – Google's pronunciation dictionary.
* Mac - Macquarie Dictionary's "say" respelling system.
* Wikipedia – Wikipedia Pronunciation Respelling Key, used in some Wikipedia articles to spell out the pronunciations of English words.