Pronunciation Key |
A list of the pronunciation symbols used on this site is given below in the column headed SYMBOL. The column headed EXAMPLES contains words chosen to illustrate how the symbols are pronounced.
The letters that correspond in sound to the symbols are shown in boldface.
EXAMPLES | SYMBOL |
pat |
|
pay |
|
care |
|
father | ä |
bib | b |
church | ch |
deed, milled | d |
pet |
|
bee |
|
fife, phase, rough | f |
gag | g |
hat | h |
which | hw |
pit |
|
pie, by |
|
pier |
|
judge | j |
kick, cat, pique | k |
lid, needle* | l |
mum | m |
no, sudden* | n |
thing | ng |
pot |
|
toe |
|
caught, paw, for, horrid, hoarse** | Ă´ |
noise | oi |
took |
|
boot |
|
out | ou |
pop | p |
roar | r |
sauce | s |
ship, dish | sh |
tight, stopped | t |
thin | th |
this | th |
cut |
|
urge, term, firm, word, heard |
|
valve | v |
with | w |
yes | y |
zebra, xylem | z |
vision, pleasure, garage | zh |
about, item, edible, gallop, circus |
|
butter |
|
*In English the consonants l and n often constitute complete syllables by themselves.
**Regional pronunciations of -or- vary. In pairs such as for, four; horse, hoarse; and morning, mourning, the vowel varies between (