Phonetic Transcription Tips: How to avoid some common pitfalls of using phonetic alphabets

Certain problems recur consistently in students' transcriptions. Avoid these carefully. On tests, you will lose points if you add or leave out symbol characteristics. Some common problems are:

• Most, if not all, of the symbols we will use in this course are lower case, that is, not capital letters. If you have the mannerism of writing in capital letters, you must suppress it in transcribing. Fancy flourishes have to be dispensed with, as well. Stay as close to block-printed lower-case letters as you can. Back to first grade! Watch your penmanship!
• Do not capitalize the first letter of a proper name in transcription. Capital letters are used as phonetic symbols, so using one will mean you are designating a different sound from the one you intend.
• Do not cross your z's.

• Distinguish carefully between tense and lax vowel symbols. [ i ]must have its dot; and [  ] * must have a top and bottom bar. Note that this is a small capital--it is the same height as [ i ] . Similarly, [ u ] must have its 'tail', while [  ]must have its 'handles'. Symbols lacking these features, such as an [ i ] without a dot or bars or a [ u ] with neither handles nor tail, are ambiguous--a reader cannot tell whether you mean the tense or the lax vowel. This is important in cases like 'sit' vs. 'seat' or 'pool' vs. 'pull'. Also, [ e ] and [  ] must be differentiated; consider 'mate' vs. 'met'. Make sure [  ] faces to the right; it is a backwards '3'.
• Be sure that symbols such as [  ]and [ ]have a 'v' above them. Do not write this 'v' upside down; make sure it comes to a point.

• Attend carefully to the direction of the 'tail' in the symbol [  ]. It must bend back to the left, not to the right. The tail reaches below the line, just like a 'g'. Think of it as an 'n' with the tail of a 'g'. 
• The symbol theta, [ ], is a large '0' with a bar through the middle. Do not write it in any cursive form. It is the size of a capital letter. 
• Learn the symbol [  ] . It is a crossed, backwards 6. It is tall, like a 't' or 'd'. For help drawing this and other unfamiliar symbols, consult my page "Drawing Unfamiliar Phonetic Symbols".

• The symbol [æ ] is not written as an 'a' followed by an 'e'. It should be written in one, continuous movement, like a diagonal '8' with tails. Again, consult the "Drawing Unfamiliar Phonetic Symbols" page.
• Schwa, [  ], is an 'e' rotated 180° counterclockwise.
• For other questions you may have, see my "Frequently-Asked Questions About Phonetic Symbols" page.