IPA subsets

The most prominent IPA alphabet is the SAM phonetic alphabet. For each language, a subset of the IPA characters is chosen so that it covers all relevant phonetic categories for that language, and fits into the US-ASCII code table.

SAMPA has been defined for all major European languages. The SAM phonetic alphabets are described in great detail in an appendix of their own (cf. Appendix B).

For American English, the oldest computer readable phonetic alphabet one is the ARPABET. A more detailed one was KLATTBET, used in the MITALK synthesiser (with a space between each phoneme symbol), see Table A.1.

Symbol Example Symbol Example Symbol Example

PP pet TT ten KK core

BB bet DD debt GG gore

KP keen DX butter GP give

TQ at Alan FF fin TH thin

HH hat VV vat DH that

SS sat SH shin CH chin

ZZ zoo ZH azure JJ gin

MM met NN net NG sing

EN button EM keep `em AXP (plosive release)

LL let RR rent WW wet

YY yet EL bottle RX fire

HX the hurrah WH which LX bill

AA Bob AX about (schwa) EXR bear

IY beet UW boot AE bat

AXR bar EY bait OW boat

UXR poor AH but AY bite

IH bit OXR boar YU beauty

AO bought EH bet IX impunity

OY boy AW bout ER bird

IXR beer UH book Ê

' or 1 primary lexical stress

" or 2 secondary lexical stress

- syllable boundary

morpheme boundary

Table A.1: The KLATTBET phonetic alphabet

**Table A.1:** The KLATTBET phonetic alphabet
Symbol	Example	Symbol	Example	Symbol	Example
PP	pet	TT	ten	KK	core
BB	bet	DD	debt	GG	gore
KP	keen	DX	butter	GP	give
TQ	at Alan	FF	fin	TH	thin
HH	hat	VV	vat	DH	that
SS	sat	SH	shin	CH	chin
ZZ	zoo	ZH	azure	JJ	gin
MM	met	NN	net	NG	sing
EN	button	EM	keep `em	AXP	(plosive release)
LL	let	RR	rent	WW	wet
YY	yet	EL	bottle	RX	fire
HX	the hurrah	WH	which	LX	bill
AA	Bob	AX	about (schwa)	EXR	bear
IY	beet	UW	boot	AE	bat
AXR	bar	EY	bait	OW	boat
UXR	poor	AH	but	AY	bite
IH	bit	OXR	boar	YU	beauty
AO	bought	EH	bet	IX	impunity
OY	boy	AW	bout	ER	bird
IXR	beer	UH	book	Ê
' or 1	primary lexical stress
" or 2	secondary lexical stress
-	syllable boundary
	morpheme boundary

For British English (i.e. RP), the system in use at the CSTR in Edinburgh is the Machine Readable Phonetic Alphabet (MRPA), with a space between each phoneme symbol (see Table A.2).

Symbol Ex. Symbol Ex. Symbol Ex. Symbol Ex.

p pet b bet m met l let

t tap d dock n net r right

k cap g gap ng sing w wing

h hang f fit th thick s sat

sh ship ch chip v vote dh the

z zip zh measure jh judge y young

i bit e bet a bat o cot

uh cut u look @ around ii beet

aa cart oo bought uu boot @@ bird

ai byte ei make oi boy au cow

ou boat i@ beer e@ bear u@ poor

* primary lexical stress

secondary lexical stress

. syllable boundary

Table A.2: Machine Readable Phonetic Alphabet (MRPA)

**Table A.2:** Machine Readable Phonetic Alphabet (MRPA)
Symbol	Ex.	Symbol	Ex.	Symbol	Ex.	Symbol	Ex.
p	pet	b	bet	m	met	l	let
t	tap	d	dock	n	net	r	right
k	cap	g	gap	ng	sing	w	wing
h	hang	f	fit	th	thick	s	sat
sh	ship	ch	chip	v	vote	dh	the
z	zip	zh	measure	jh	judge	y	young
i	bit	e	bet	a	bat	o	cot
uh	cut	u	look	@	around	ii	beet
aa	cart	oo	bought	uu	boot	@@	bird
ai	byte	ei	make	oi	boy	au	cow
ou	boat	i@	beer	e@	bear	u@	poor
*	primary lexical stress
	secondary lexical stress
.	syllable boundary

These coding systems both restrict the alphabet to a subset of the IPA and introduce a new nomenclature for the representation of the phonetic characters.