Help:IPA/English: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:17, 1 October 2024

Revision as of 19:48, 14 October 2024

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If there is an IPA symbol you are looking for that you do not see here, see [[Help:IPA]], which is a more complete list. For a table listing all spellings of the sounds on this page, see {{section link|English orthography|Sound-to-spelling correspondences}}. For help converting spelling to pronunciation, see {{section link|English orthography|Spelling-to-sound correspondences}}.

The words given as examples for two different symbols may sound the same to you. For example, you may pronounce [[Cot–caught merger|''cot'' and ''caught'' the same]], ''do'' and ''dew'', or ''marry'' and ''merry''. This often happens because of dialect variation (see our articles [[English phonology]] and [[International Phonetic Alphabet chart for English dialects]]). If this is the case, you will pronounce those symbols the same for other words as well.{{refn|name=localterms|This rule is generally employed in the pronunciation guide of our articles, even for local terms such as place names. However, be aware that not all editors may have followed this consistently, so for example if a pronunciation of an English town ending in ‑ford reads /‑fəd/, it doesn't mean that the /r/ would be absent in a rhotic dialect.}} Whether this is true for all words, or just when the sounds occur in the same context, depends on the merger.<ref>For example, if you have the ''marry–merry'' merger, you probably only merge {{IPA|/æ/}} and {{IPA|/ɛ/}} before {{IPA|/rɹ/}}. You would still distinguish ''man'' and ''men''.</ref> The footnotes explain some of these cases.

{| style="background:none"

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| style="text-align: left" | '''h'''igh, a'''h'''ead

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|hwʍ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | '''wh'''ine{{refn|The phoneme {{IPA|/hwʍ/}} is not distinguished from {{IPA|/w/}} in the many dialects with the [[Wine–whine merger|''wine''–''whine'' merger]], such as RP and most varieties of General American. For more information on this sound, see [[voiceless labialized velar approximant]].}}

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|j}}}}{{refn|The IPA value of the letter {{angbr IPA|j}} may be counterintuitive to English speakers, but the spelling is found even in some common English words like ''[[hallelujah]]'' and ''[[fjord]]''. Some dictionaries use {{angbr IPA|y}} instead, although it represents a [[close front rounded vowel]] in official IPA.}}

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| style="text-align: left" | {{Not a typo|'''p'''ie, s'''p'''y, ca'''p'''}}

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|rɹ}}}}{{refn|In most varieties of English, {{IPA|/r/}} is pronounced as an approximant {{IPAblink|ɹɣ̞˞ˤʷ}}. Although the IPA symbol {{angbr IPA|r}} represents the [[alveolar trill]], {{angbr IPA|r}} is widely used instead of {{angbr IPA|ɹ}} in broad transcriptions of English.}}

| style="text-align: left" | '''r'''ye, t'''r'''y, ve'''r'''y

|-

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| {{big|{{IPA|ɑː}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|P'''A'''LM}}, br'''a''', f'''a'''ther

| {{big|{{IPA|ɑːrɑːɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|ST'''AR'''T}}

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|ɒ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|L'''O'''T}}, bl'''o'''ckade, c'''o'''t, b'''o'''ther{{refn|In dialects with the [[Father–bother merger|''father''–''bother'' merger]] such as General American, {{IPA|/ɒ/}} is not distinguished from {{IPA|/ɑː/}}.}}

| {{big|{{IPA|ɒrɒɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | m'''or'''al{{refn|In most of the United States, {{IPA|/ɒrɒɹ/}} is merged with {{IPA|/ɔːrɔːɹ/}}, except for a handful of words such as ''borrow'', ''tomorrow'' and ''sorry'', which instead have {{IPA|/ɑːrɑːɹ/}}. In some parts of the Southern and Northeastern US, it is always merged with {{IPA|/ɑːrɑːɹ/}}. In Canada, it is always merged with {{IPA|/ɔːrɔːɹ/}}.}}

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|æ}}}}{{refn|Some British sources, such as the [[Oxford English Dictionary]], use {{angbr IPA|a}} instead of {{IPA|/æ/}} to transcribe this vowel. This more closely reflects the actual vowel quality in contemporary [[Received Pronunciation]].{{efn|{{cite web|url=https://www.oed.com/information/understanding-entries/pronunciation/british-english-pronunciations/|title=British English Pronunciations|publisher=[[Oxford English Dictionary]]|accessdate=4 September 2023}}}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|TR'''A'''P}}, b'''a'''g, s'''a'''ng, t'''a'''ttoo{{refn|In North America, {{IPA|/æ/}} is often pronounced like a diphthong {{IPA|[eə~ɛə]}} before nasal consonants and, in some particular regional dialects, other environments. See [[:/æ/ raising|{{IPA|/æ/|cat=no}} raising]].}}

| {{big|{{IPA|æræɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | m'''arr'''y{{refn|name=marymarrymerry|Many North American accents have the [[Mary–marry–merry merger|''Mary''–''marry''–''merry'' merger]] and therefore don't distinguish between the corresponding sounds {{IPA|/ɛərɛəɹ/}}, {{IPA|/æræɹ/}}, and {{IPA|/ɛrɛɹ/}}. Some speakers merge only two of the sounds (most typically {{IPA|/ɛərɛəɹ/}} with one of the short vowels), and less than a fifth of speakers of American English make a full three-way distinction like in RP and similar accents.{{efn|{{cite web|last1=Vaux|first1=Bert|last2=Golder|first2=Scott|year=2003|url=http://dialect.redlog.net/staticmaps/q_15.html|title=How do you pronounce Mary/merry/marry?|work=Harvard Dialect Survey|publisher=Harvard University Linguistics Department}}}}}}

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|aɪ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|PR'''I'''CE}}, p'''ie'''{{refn|name=CanadianRaising|In much of North America, {{IPA|/aɪ/}} or {{IPA|/aʊ/}} may have a slightly different quality when it precedes a [[voiceless]] consonant, as in ''price'' or ''mouth'', from that in ''ride/pie'' or ''loud/how'', a phenomenon known as [[Canadian raising]]. Since this occurs in a predictable fashion, it is not distinguished in this transcription system.}}

| {{big|{{IPA|aɪəraɪəɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | h'''ire'''{{refn|name=triphthong|Some speakers pronounce ''higher, flower'' and ''coyer'' ("more coy") with two syllables, and ''hire, flour'' and ''coir'' with one. Most pronounce them the same. For the former group of words, make use of syllable breaks, as in {{IPA|/ˈhaɪ.ər/, /ˈflaʊ.ər/, /ˈkɔɪ.ər/}}, to differentiate from the latter. Before vowels, the distinction between {{IPA|/aɪər, aʊər, ɔɪər/}} and {{IPA|/aɪr, aʊr, ɔɪr/}} is not always clear; choose the former if the second element may be omitted (as in {{IPA|[ˈdaəri]}} ''diary'').}}

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|aʊ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|M'''OU'''TH}}, h'''ow'''{{refn|name=CanadianRaising}}

| {{big|{{IPA|aʊəraʊəɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | fl'''our'''{{refn|name=triphthong}}

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|ɛ}}}}{{refn|{{IPA|/ɛ/}} is transcribed with {{angbr IPA|e}} in many dictionaries. However, {{IPA|/eɪ/}} is also sometimes transcribed with {{angbr IPA|e}}, especially in North American literature, so {{angbr IPA|ɛ}} is chosen here.}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|DR'''E'''SS}}, b'''e'''g, l'''e'''ngth, pr'''e'''stige

| {{big|{{IPA|ɛrɛɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | m'''err'''y{{refn|name=marymarrymerry}}

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|eɪ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|F'''A'''CE}}, v'''a'''gue

| {{big|{{IPA|ɛərɛəɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|SQU'''ARE'''}}, M'''ar'''y{{refn|name=marymarrymerry}}{{refn|name=centering|{{IPA|/ɛə/}}, {{IPA|/ɪə/}}, or {{IPA|/ʊə/}} may be separated from {{IPA|/r/}} only when a stress follows it. The [[Template:IPAc-en|IPAc-en]] template supports {{IPA|/ɛəˈr/}}, {{IPA|/ɪəˈr/}}, {{IPA|/ʊəˈr/}}, {{IPA|/ɛəˌr/}}, {{IPA|/ɪəˌr/}}, and {{IPA|/ʊəˌr/}} as distinct diaphonemes for such occasions.}}

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|ɪ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|K'''I'''T}}, b'''i'''g, s'''i'''ng, h'''i'''storic{{refn|name=strong-weak|{{angbr IPA|ɪ}} and {{angbr IPA|oʊ}} represent strong vowels in some words and weak vowels in others. It will not always be clear which they are.{{efn|{{harvp|Flemming|Johnson|2007|pp=91–2}}.}}{{efn|{{cite web|last=Wells|first=John|date=25 March 2011|url=http://phonetic-blog.blogspot.com/2011/03/strong-and-weak.html|title=strong and weak|work=John Wells's phonetic blog}}}}}}

| {{big|{{IPA|ɪrɪɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | m'''irr'''or, S'''ir'''ius

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|iː}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|FL'''EE'''CE}}, l'''ea'''gue, pedigr'''ee''', id'''e'''a{{refn|name=smoothing|Words like ''idea, real,'' and ''theatre'' may be pronounced with {{IPA|/ɪə/}} and ''cruel'' with {{IPA|/ʊə/}} in non-rhotic accents such as Received Pronunciation, and some dictionaries transcribe them with {{IPA|/ɪə, ʊə/}},{{efn|name=wells-smoothing|{{harvp|Wells|1982|p=240}}.}} but since they are not pronounced with {{IPA|/r/}} in rhotic accents, they are transcribed with {{IPA|/iːə, uːə/}}, not with {{IPA|/ɪə, ʊə/}}, in this transcription system.}}

| {{big|{{IPA|ɪərɪəɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|N'''EAR'''}}, s'''er'''ious{{refn|name=centering}}

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|oʊ}}}}{{refn|{{IPA|/oʊ/}} is often transcribed with {{angbr IPA|əʊ}}, particularly in British literature, based on its modern realization in Received Pronunciation. It is also transcribed with {{angbr IPA|o}}, particularly in North American literature.}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|G'''OA'''T}}{{refn|name=strong-weak}}

| rowspan="2" | {{big|{{IPA|ɔːrɔːɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|F'''OR'''CE}}, h'''oar'''se{{refn|name=horse|Some accents, such as [[Scottish English]], many forms of [[Irish English]] and some conservative [[American English|American]] accents, make a distinction between the vowels in ''horse'' and ''hoarse'' (i.e. they lack the [[horse–hoarse merger|''horse''–''hoarse'' merger]]). Since most modern dictionaries do not differentiate between them, neither does this key.}}

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| {{big|{{IPA|ɔɪ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|CH'''OI'''CE}}

| {{big|{{IPA|ɔɪərɔɪəɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | c'''oir'''{{refn|name=triphthong}}

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|ʊ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|F'''OO'''T}}

| {{big|{{IPA|ʊrʊɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | c'''our'''ier

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|uː}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|G'''OO'''SE}}, cr'''u'''el{{refn|name=smoothing}}

| {{big|{{IPA|ʊərʊəɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | t'''our''', {{nowrap|{{sc2|C'''URE'''}} {{small|({{IPA|/ˈkjʊər/}})}}}}{{refn|{{IPA|/ʊər/}} is not distinguished from {{IPA|/ɔːr/}} in dialects with the [[cure–force merger|''cure''–''force'' merger]], including many younger speakers. In England, the merger may not be fully consistent and may only apply to more common words. In conservative RP and Northern England English {{IPA|/ʊər/}} is much more commonly preserved than in modern RP and Southern England English. In Australia and New Zealand, {{IPA|/ʊər/}} does not exist as a separate phoneme and is replaced either by the sequence {{IPA|/uːər/}} ({{IPA|/uːr/}} before vowels within the same word, save for some compounds) or the monophthong {{IPA|/ɔːr/}}.}}{{refn|name=centering}}

|-

| rowspan="2" | {{big|{{IPA|ʌ}}}}{{refn|Some, particularly North American, dictionaries notate {{IPA|/ʌ/}} with the same symbol as {{IPA|/ə/}}, which is found only in unstressed syllables, and distinguish it from {{IPA|/ə/}} by marking the syllable as stressed. Also note that although {{angbr IPA|ʌ}}, the IPA symbol for the [[open-mid back unrounded vowel|open-mid back vowel]], is used, the typical modern pronunciation is rather close to the [[near-open central unrounded vowel|near-open central vowel]] {{IPA|[ɐ]}} in some dialects, including Received Pronunciation.}}

| rowspan="2" style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|STR'''U'''T}}, s'''u'''ng, '''u'''ntidy, tr'''u'''stee{{refn|{{IPA|/ʌ/}} is not used in the dialects of the northern half of England, some bordering parts of Wales, and some broad eastern Ireland accents. These words would take the {{IPA|/ʊ/}} vowel: there is no [[Foot–strut split|''foot''–''strut'' split]].}}

| {{big|{{IPA|ɜːrɜːɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|N'''UR'''SE}}, bl'''urr'''y, '''ur'''bane, forew'''or'''d{{refn|In Received Pronunciation, {{IPA|/ɜːr/}} is pronounced as a lengthened schwa, {{IPA|[əː]}}. In General American, it is phonetically identical to {{IPA|/ərəɹ/}}. Some dictionaries therefore use {{angbr IPA|əː, ərəɹ}} instead of the conventional notations {{angbr IPA|ɜː, ɜrɜɹ}}. When {{angbr IPA|ərəɹ}} is used for {{IPA|/ɜːrɜːɹ/}}, it is distinguished from {{IPA|/ərəɹ/}} by marking the syllable as stressed.}}

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|ʌrʌɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | h'''urr'''y{{refn|{{IPA|/ʌr/}} is not distinguished from {{IPA|/ɜːr/}} in dialects with the [[Hurry–furry merger|''hurry''–''furry'' merger]] such as General American.}}

|-

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| {{big|{{IPA|ə}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|COMM'''A'''}}, abb'''o'''t, b'''a'''zaar

| {{big|{{IPA|ərəɹ}}}}

| style="text-align: left" | {{sc2|LETT'''ER'''}}, forw'''ar'''d, hist'''or'''y{{refn|name=syllabic}}

|-

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| rowspan="2" style="text-align: left" | {{nowrap|'''in'''to'''na'''tion {{IPA|/ˌɪntəˈneɪʃən/}}}}{{refn|name=secondary stress|Scholars disagree on how to analyze [[Stress_and_vowel_reduction_in_English#Degrees_of_lexical_stress|degrees of stress]] in English. A particular unstressed syllable with phonetic prominence or a [[Stress_and_vowel_reduction_in_English#Unstressed_full_vowels|full (unreduced) vowel]] is analyzed by some scholars as having secondary stress. For simplicity, we follow British rather than American English conventions, only marking secondary stress when it occurs before, not after, the primary stress.}}

| rowspan="2" | {{big|{{IPA|.}}}}

| rowspan="2" style="text-align: left" | {{nowrap|{{IPA|/ˈhaɪərˈhaɪəɹ/}} hire}}, {{nowrap|{{IPA|/ˈhaɪ.ərəɹ/}} higher}}{{refn|Syllable divisions are not usually marked, but the IPA dot {{angbr IPA|.}} may be used when it is wished to make explicit where a division between syllables is (or may be) made.}}<br>{{nowrap|{{IPA|/ˈtæks.peɪərpeɪəɹ/}} taxpayer}}

|-

| {{big|{{IPA|ˌ}}}}

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* Some speakers from Northern England do not distinguish the vowel of ''square'' {{IPA|/ˈskwɛər/}} and ''nurse'' {{IPA|/ˈnɜːrs/}}.{{efn|{{harvp|Wells|1982|pp=361, 372}}.}} If you speak such a dialect, ignore the difference between the symbols {{IPA|/ɛər/}} and {{IPA|/ɜːr/}}.

* In New Zealand English, the vowels of ''kit'' {{IPA|/ˈkɪt/}} and ''foc'''u'''s'' {{IPA|/ˈfoʊkəs/}} have the same [[schwa]]-like quality.{{efn|{{harvp|Wells|1982|pp=605–7}}.}}{{efn|{{harvp|Bauer|Warren|Bardsley|Kennedy|2007|pp=98–9}}.}} If you are from New Zealand, ignore the difference between the symbols {{IPA|/ɪ/}} and {{IPA|/ə/}}.

* In contemporary New Zealand English and some other dialects, the vowels of ''near'' {{IPA|/ˈnɪərˈnɪəɹ/}} and ''square'' {{IPA|/ˈskwɛərˈskwɛəɹ/}} are not distinguished.{{efn|{{harvp|Bauer|Warren|Bardsley|Kennedy|2007|p=98}}.}} If you speak such a dialect, ignore the difference between the symbols {{IPA|/ɪərɪəɹ/}} and {{IPA|/ɛərɛəɹ/}}.

* In Northern England English and some varieties of Irish and Welsh English, the vowels of ''foot'' {{IPA|/ˈfʊt/}} and ''strut'' {{IPA|/ˈstrʌt/}} are not distinguished.{{efn|{{harvp|Wells|1982|pp=351–3, 363–4}}.}} If you speak such a dialect, ignore the difference between the symbols {{IPA|/ʊ/}} and {{IPA|/ʌ/}}.

* In some varieties of Scottish English and in Northern Irish English, the vowels of ''trap'' {{IPA|/ˈtræp/}} and ''palm'' {{IPA|/ˈpɑːm/}} are not distinguished.{{efn|{{harvp|Wells|1982|pp=400, 439}}.}} If you speak such a dialect, ignore the difference between the symbols {{IPA|/æ/}} and {{IPA|/ɑː/}}.

* In Welsh English and some other dialects, the vowels of '''''u'''northodoxy'' {{IPA|/ʌnˈɔːrθədɒksiʌnˈɔːɹθədɒksi/}} and '''''a'''n orthodoxy'' {{IPA|/ən ˈɔːrθədɒksi/}} are not distinguished.{{efn|{{harvp|Wells|1982|pp=380–1}}.}} If you speak such a dialect, ignore the difference between the symbols {{IPA|/ʌ/}} and {{IPA|/ə/}}.

* Depending on the dialect, vowels can be subject to various mergers before {{IPA|/l/}}, so that e.g. ''fill'' {{IPA|/ˈfɪl/}} and ''feel'' {{IPA|/ˈfiːl/}} or ''pull'' {{IPA|/ˈpʊl/}} and ''pool'' {{IPA|/ˈpuːl/}} may not be distinguished. [[L-vocalization]] may trigger even more mergers, so that e.g. ''cord'' {{IPA|/ˈkɔːrd/}} and ''called'' {{IPA|/ˈkɔːld/}} may be homophonous as {{IPA|/ˈkɔːd/}} in non-rhotic dialects of South East England. See [[English-language vowel changes before historic /l/]] for more information.

* In many dialects, {{IPA|/rɹ/}} occurs only before a vowel; if you speak such a dialect, simply ignore {{IPA|/rɹ/}} in the pronunciation guides where you would not pronounce it, as in ''cart'' {{IPA|/kɑːrt/}}.

* In other dialects, {{IPA|/j/}} ('''y'''es) cannot occur after {{IPA|/t, d, n/}}, etc., within the same syllable; if you speak such a dialect, then ignore the {{IPA|/j/}} in transcriptions such as ''new'' {{IPA|/njuː/}}. For example, ''New York'' is transcribed {{IPA|/njuː ˈjɔːrkˈjɔːɹk/}}. For most people from England and for some New Yorkers, the {{IPA|/r/}} in {{IPA|/jɔːrkjɔːɹk/}} is not pronounced; for most people from the United States, including some New Yorkers, the {{IPA|/j/}} in {{IPA|/njuː/}} is not pronounced and may be ignored. (See ''[[yod-dropping]]''.)

On the other hand, there are some distinctions which you might make but which this key does not encode, as they are seldom reflected in the dictionaries used as sources for Wikipedia articles:

* The vowels of ''kit'' and ''bit'', distinguished in South Africa.{{efn|{{harvp|Wells|1982|pp=612–3}}.}} Both of them are transcribed as {{IPA|/ɪ/}} in stressed syllables and as {{IPA|/ɪ/}} or {{IPA|/ə/}} in unstressed syllables.

* The difference between the vowels of ''fir'', ''fur'' and ''fern'', maintained in some [[Scottish English|Scottish]] and [[Hiberno-English|Irish English]] but lost elsewhere.{{efn|name=scottishprer|{{harvp|Stuart-Smith|2004|p=56}}.}} All of them are transcribed as {{IPA|/ɜːrɜːɹ/}}.

* The vowels of ''north'' and ''force'', distinguished in Scottish English, Irish English and by a minority of American speakers.{{efn|name=scottishprer}} Both of them are transcribed as {{IPA|/ɔːrɔːɹ/}}.

* The vowels of ''pause'' and ''paws'', distinguished in Cockney and by some Estuary English speakers.{{efn|{{harvp|Wells|1982|pp=304, 310–1}}.}} Both of them are transcribed as {{IPA|/ɔː/}} when the spelling does not contain {{angbr|rɹ}} and {{IPA|/ɔːrɔːɹ/}} or {{IPA|/ʊərʊəɹ/}} (depending on the word) when it does.

* The vowels of ''manning'' and ''Manning'', distinguished in some parts of the United States (see [[:/æ/ raising|{{IPA|/æ/|cat=no}} raising]]). Both of them are transcribed as {{IPA|/æ/}}.

* The difference between the vowels of ''pain'' and ''pane'' found in some English, Welsh, and Newfoundland dialects. Both of them are transcribed as {{IPA|/eɪ/}}.

Line 317:

** The vowels of ''rider'' and ''writer'', distinguished in most parts of Canada and many parts of the United States. Both of them are transcribed as {{IPA|/aɪ/}}.

** The vowels of ''powder'' and ''pouter'' distinguished in most parts of Canada and some parts of the United States. Both of them are transcribed as {{IPA|/aʊ/}}.

** Allophonic vowel length (including the [[Scottish vowel length rule]]), as in ''knife'' {{IPA|/ˈnaɪf/}} vs. ''knives'' {{IPA|/ˈnaɪvz/}}. Phonemic vowel length, which exists in some dialects and involves pairs such as {{IPA|/ɛ/}} vs. {{IPA|/ɛərɛəɹ/}} and {{IPA|/ə/}} vs. {{IPA|/ɜːr/}} is also not marked explicitly. {{IPA|/i/}} and {{IPA|/u/}} do not represent phonemes; see above.

** [[Flapping]] in words such as ''better'', which we write {{IPA|/ˈbɛtər/}}, rather than {{IPA|/ˈbɛdər/}}.

** [[Glottalization]] in words such as ''jetlag'' and, in some accents, ''daughter'', which we write {{IPA|/ˈdʒɛtlæɡ/}} and {{IPA|/ˈdɔːtərˈdɔːtəɹ/}}, rather than {{IPA|/ˈdʒɛʔlæɡ/}} and {{IPA|/ˈdɔːʔərˈdɔːʔəɹ/}}. In this system, {{IPA|/ʔ/}} is used only for [[paralanguage]] or in loanwords where it occurs phonemically in the original language.

** [[L-vocalization]] in words such as ''bottle'' and ''Alps'', which we write {{IPA|/ˈbɒtəl/}} and {{IPA|/ˈælps/}}, rather than {{IPA|/ˈbɒtʊ/}} and {{IPA|/ˈæwps/}}.

** The difference between allophones of {{IPA|/ə/}} in ''bal'''a'''nce'' ({{IPAblink|ə}}) vs. the ones in '''''a'''bout'' and ''Russi'''a''''' (and, in non-rhotic dialects, ''bett'''er'''''), both of which may be closer to {{IPA|/ʌ/}} in dialects with the foot–strut split (that is, {{IPAblink|ɐ}}) vs. the one in ''butt'''o'''n'' (the [[syllabic consonant|syllabicity]] of the following consonant). All are transcribed as {{IPA|/ə/}} in our system.

** The difference between the phonetic realization of English sounds (mostly vowels) in various dialects. ''Let's pick some grapes for Betty'' should be transcribed {{IPA|/lɛts ˈpɪk səm ˈɡreɪps fər ˈbɛti/}} regardless of the variety of English and everyone should interpret that transcription according to their own dialect. Thus, a person from South East England will read it as something like {{IPA|[lɛʔs ˈpʰɪk səm ˈɡɹɛɪps fə ˈbɛtˢɪi]}}, a Scot as {{IPA|[ɫɛts ˈpʰɪk səm ˈɡɾeps fɚ ˈbɛte]}}, whereas someone from New Zealand will interpret that transcription as {{IPA|[ɫɪts ˈpʰək səm ˈɡɹæɪps fə ˈbɪɾi]}}. Because we are transcribing [[diaphoneme]]s rather than [[Phone_(phonetics)|phones]] (actual sounds), it is irrelevant that, for example, the vowel in ''let's'' as pronounced by someone from New Zealand overlaps with how people with England and Scotland typically pronounce the first vowel in ''pick'', or that the Scottish realization of {{IPA|/r/}} after {{IPA|/ɡ/}} overlaps with the New Zealand realization of {{IPA|/t/}} between vowels. In other words, the symbol {{angbr IPA|ɛ}} does not stand specifically for the [[open-mid front unrounded vowel]] in our system but ''any'' vowel that can be identified as the vowel in ''let's'', depending on the accent. This is also why we use the simple symbol {{angbr IPA|rɹ}} for the second sound in ''grapes''.

Other words may have different vowels depending on the speaker.