# Kirshenbaum (ASCII-IPA) Transcription Scheme - [Phoneme Transcription Schemes](#phoneme-transcription-schemes) - [Consonants](#consonants) - [Other Symbols](#other-symbols) - [Vowels](#vowels) - [Other Symbols](#other-symbols-1) - [Diacritics](#diacritics) - [Suprasegmentals](#suprasegmentals) - [Stress](#stress) - [Length](#length) - [References](#references) ---------- The Kirshenbaum (ASCII-IPA) transcription scheme was created by Evan Kirshenbaum and others between 1991 and 1993 for use in Usenet and e-mail. Since then, the support for Unicode has greatly improved. An ASCII encoding of IPA is still useful as it is often easier to type. The Kirshenbaum transcription scheme defines a set of phoneme features that are described in eSpeak NG in the [phonemes](phonemes.md) document. The `cainteoir` and `espeak-ng` phoneme features defined in that document are not useable in transcriptions using the Kirshenbaum transcription scheme. They are used here where relevant to define the Kirshenbaum phonemes in a consistent way across the different transcription schemes. Broad (phonemic) transcriptions are enclosed in `/` characters (`/p/`), while narrow (phonetic) transcriptions are wrapped in `[` and `]` characters (`[p]`). A phoneme can be transcribed as a named phoneme (`p`), or as a set of features wrapped in `{` and `}` characters (`{vls,blb,stp}`). A feature (typically a diacritic) of a phoneme can be added or modified by wrapping the feature in `<` and `>` characters after the base phoneme (`p`). ## Phoneme Transcription Schemes | BCP47 Subtag | Abbreviation | Transcription Scheme | Encoding | |----------------------------|--------------|------------------------------------------------------|----------| | [`fonipa`](../phonemes.md) | IPA | International Phonetic Alphabet | Unicode | | [`fonxsamp`](xsampa.md) | X-SAMPA | Extended Speech Assessment Methods Phonetic Alphabet | ASCII | | [`x-foncxs`](cxs.md) | CXS | Conlang X-SAMPA | ASCII | | `x-fonkirsh` | | Kirshenbaum (ASCII-IPA) | ASCII | 1. `foncxs` and `fonkirsh` are private use extensions defined in the [bcp47-extensions](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/espeak-ng/bcp47-data/master/bcp47-extensions) file, so have the `x-` private use specifier before their subtag names. ## Consonants | | `blb` | | `lbd` | | `dnt` | | `alv` | | `pla` | | `rfx` | | `alp` | | `pal` | | `vel` | | `uvl` | | `phr` | | `glt` | | |-----------------------------|----------|----------|-------|----------|-----------|-----------|----------|----------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|----------|----------|----------|----------|----------|----------|-------|----------|-------|--------| | | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | | `nas` | | `m` | | `M` | | `n[` | | `n` | | | | `n.` | | | | `n^` | | `N` | | `n"` | | | | | | `stp` | `p` | `b` | | | `t[` | `d[` | `t` | `d` | | | `t.` | `d.` | | | `c` | `J` | `k` | `g` | `q` | `G` | | | `?` | | | `sib` `afr` | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | `afr` | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | `lat` `afr` | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | `sib` `frc` | | | | | | | `s` | `z` | `S` | `Z` | `s.` | `z.` | | | | | | | | | | | | | | `frc` | `P` | `B` | `f` | `v` | `T` | `D` | | | | | | | | | `C` | `C` | `x` | `Q` | `X` | `g"` | `H` | `H` | `h` | `h` | | `lat` `frc` | | | | | | | `s` | `z` | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | `apr` | | | | `r` | | `r[` | | `r` | | | | `r.` | | | | `j` | | `j` | | `g"` | | | | | | `lat` `apr` | | | | | | `l[` | | `l` | | | | `l.` | | | | `l^` | | `L` | | | | | | | | `flp` | | | | | | | | `*` | | | | `*.` | | | | | | | | | | | | | | `lat` `flp` | | | | | | | | `*` | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | `trl` | | `b` | | | | | | `r` | | | | | | | | | | | | `r"` | | | | | | `clk` | `p!` | | | | `t!` | | `c!` | | | | | | | | `c!` | | `k!` | | | | | | | | | `lat` `clk` | | | | | | | `l!` | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | `imp` | | `` b` `` | | | | `` d` `` | | `` d` `` | | | | | | | | `` J` `` | | `` g` `` | | `` G` `` | | | | | | `ejc` | `` p` `` | | | | `` t[` `` | | `` t` `` | | | | | | | | `` c` `` | | `` k` `` | | `` q` `` | | | | | | | `ejc` `frc` | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | `lat` `ejc` `frc` | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1. `h` is transcribed as `{glt,apr}` in ASCII-IPA. It is transcribed as `{glt,frc}` in this document to match the assignment used in the Wikipedia IPA table, and the placement in other documents in eSpeak NG. The IPA chart places them as being `{frc}` or `{apr}`, as does the main Wikipedia page for the `[h]` phoneme. 1. The `` q` `` phoneme is incorrectly placed in the segment table (Appendix D) of the ASCII-IPA document. According to the diacritics list (Appendix C), the `` ` `` character denotes an `{ejc}` phoneme for a `{vls}` base phoneme, not `{imp}` which is used for `{vcd}` base phonemes. The table above uses the correct assignment. 1. The `L` phoneme has an alternate meaning in ASCII-IPA. This document only describes the variant preferred by Evan Kirshenbaum. ### Other Symbols | | `bld` | | `alv` | | `pla` | | `pal` | | `lbv` | | `vel` | | |-----------------------------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|----------|----------|----------|-------| | | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | `vls` | `vcd` | | `nas` | | | | | | | | | | `n` | | | | `stp` | | | | | | | | | `t` | `d` | | | | `afr` | | | | | | | | | | | | | | `vzd` `frc` | | | | | | | | | | | | | | `ptr` `apr` | | | | | | | | | | | `w` | `w` | | `fzd` `lat` `apr` | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1. The `w` phoneme is transcribed as being `{vcd,lbv,frc}` or `{lbv,apr}`, and `w` as `{vls,lbv,frc}` in ASCII-IPA. They are transcribed as `{ptr,vel,apr}` in this document to match their definition as labialized velar approximants in the IPA chart. ## Vowels | | `fnt` | | `cnt` | | `bck` | | |--------|-------|-------|----------|-------|-------|-------| | | `unr` | `rnd` | `unr` | `rnd` | `unr` | `rnd` | | `hgh` | `i` | `y` | `i"` | `u"` | `u-` | `u` | | `smh` | `I` | `I.` | | | | `U` | | `umd` | `e` | `Y` | `@` | | `o-` | `o` | | `mid` | | | `@` | `@.` | | | | `lmd` | `E` | `W` | `V"` | `O"` | `V` | `O` | | `sml` | `&` | | | | | | | `low` | `a` | `a.` | | | `A` | `A.` | 1. The `&` phoneme is transcribed as being `{low,fnt,unr,vwl}`, and `a` as `{low,cnt,unr,vwl}` in ASCII-IPA. This does not match their placement in the IPA chart according to the Unicode characters those ASCII-IPA phonemes map to. As such, the table above reflects their IPA chart positions. 1. The `&.` phoneme is defined in the segment table (Appendix D) of the ASCII-IPA definition. According to the IPA charts, this is not a valid phoneme. As such, it is not listed in the table above. 1. The `W` and `Y` phonemes have an alternate meaning in ASCII-IPA. This document only describes the variant preferred by Evan Kirshenbaum. ### Other Symbols | Symbol | Features | |----------|-------------------------------| | `R` | `unr` `mid` `cnt` `rzd` `vwl` | | `R` | `unr` `lmd` `cnt` `rzd` `vwl` | 1. The `R` phoneme is transcribed as being `{umd,cnt,unr,rzd,vwl}` in ASCII-IPA. However, the IPA phoneme it is representing is based on the `{lmd}` vowel. The table above keeps the `` modifying feature to be compatible with ASCII-IPA, but assigns it to `{lmd}` in this case to be compatible with the IPA chart. 1. The `R` phoneme has an alternate meaning in ASCII-IPA. This document only describes the variant preferred by Evan Kirshenbaum. ## Diacritics | Symbol | Feature | |--------|---------| | `!` | `{clk}` | | `[` | `{dnt}` | | `;` | `{pzd}` | | `^` | `{pal}` | | `` | `{fzd}` | | `` | `{asp}` | | `` | `{unx}` | | `` | `{rzd}` | | `` | `{ptr}` | | `` | `{brv}` | 1. The `` diacritic has an alternate meaning in ASCII-IPA. This document only describes the variant preferred by Evan Kirshenbaum. 1. The `{ptr}` (protruded) feature is specified as `{lzd}` (labialized) in ASCII-IPA. 1. The `{brv}` (breathy voice) feature is specified as `{mrm}` (murmured) in ASCII-IPA. The ASCII-IPA transcription scheme defines several diacritics that vary in meaning depending on whether the base phoneme is a vowel or consonant. | Symbol | Vowel | Consonant | |--------|---------|-----------| | `~` | `{nzd}` | `{vzd}` | | `-` | `{unr}` | `{syl}` | | `.` | `{rnd}` | `{rfx}` | | `"` | `{cnt}` | `{uvl}` | The ASCII-IPA transcription scheme defines several diacritics that vary in meaning depending on the voicing of the base phoneme. | Symbol | Voiceless | Voiced | |---------|-----------|---------| | `` ` `` | `{ejc}` | `{imp}` | ## Suprasegmentals ### Stress | Symbol | Name | |--------|------------------| | `'` | primary stress | | `,` | secondary stress | ### Length | Symbol | Feature | |--------|---------| | `:` | `{lng}` | ## References 1. Kirshenbaum, Evan, [Representing IPA phonetics in ASCII](https://web.archive.org/web/20160419125856/http://www.kirshenbaum.net/IPA/faq.html) (HTML). . Updated . 2. Kirshenbaum, Evan, [Representing IPA phonetics in ASCII](https://web.archive.org/web/20160419125856/http://www.kirshenbaum.net/IPA/ascii-ipa.pdf) (PDF). . Updated .