phonetic transcription

[Lily of the valley]

I have some questions regarding phonetic transcription.
Does the following signs have names? (for example, ə=schwa)
ʌ, ɑ, a,
ɒ, o, ɔ,
æ, e

Because I have to speak about them and I don't know how to refer to them in the simpliest way. I know I can refer to them like "ʌ in cup" but isn't there a simpler way? Especially, when I have to compare them,how can I distinguish them?

[5jj]

We normally use their sound as their name. So, you don't have to say "/ʌ/ in cup", because once you have said /ʌ/, you have said all you need to say.

[spongie]

We can name all of them by how the are pronounced
- but I call ə - schwa (as you said) and æ - ash.

[BobK]

Many of them have names like 'schwa'. If you use Windows 7 or Vista, press the Start button and type 'ch' into the search window. The first application listed is Character Map.

In the top window, select Lucida Sans Unicode (a typeface that includes many of the IPA symbols and all you will need for a broad transcription of English). In the matrix of characters, point and click at one of them. When you do, a description of the character appears at the foot of the window. (Sometimes, though, the description is just accurate, and not very useful: for example, ʌ is called 'Latin Small Letter Turned V'.

b

[Lily of the valley]

Many of them have names like 'schwa'. If you use Windows 7 or Vista, press the Start button and type 'ch' into the search window. The first application listed is Character Map.

In the top window, select Lucida Sans Unicode (a typeface that includes many of the IPA symbols and all you will need for a broad transcription of English). In the matrix of characters, point and click at one of them. When you do, a description of the character appears at the foot of the window. (Sometimes, though, the description is just accurate, and not very useful: for example, ʌ is called 'Latin Small Letter Turned V'.

b

I tried to do it but when Istart to type Character into the search window it doesn't find it. what should I do?
I also downloaded lucida sans unicode font but it doesn't help me with this.

[BobK]

I tried to do it but when Istart to type Character into the search window it doesn't find it. what should I do?
I also downloaded lucida sans unicode font but it doesn't help me with this.

OK. Windows 7 and Vista should find it (though maybe not at the top of the list - it depends what else you've got on your computer). On earlier versions of Windows, click on All Programs => Accessories=> System Tools => Character Map .

Simply downloading a font isn't enough. You need to install it. In Windows 7, double-click on the TTF file and then click Install Now. I think in earlier versions of Windows you just have to cut the TTF file from the Downloads folder, and paste it into Windows\Fonts, but I'm not sure. Once it's installed it will be 'known about' (after a reboot) by all software; for example, it will appear in WinWord's drop-down list of Fonts (Format => Font).

With any other operating system I'm afraid I can't help. Good luck

b

[Tdol]

Character map shows the Unicode nonce names.

You can get the IPA names here:
IPA Charts
The Unicode and IPA names are not always the same. Many people will not know these names, so I would be careful when talking about them unless your audience do know them.

(Mouse over the symbol and you can see the name)

[BobK]

Etymological trivium: good word 'nonce' - derived from the dative of the definite article (Middle English): = invented for then ones (from then on, it was the opposite of the movement involved in 'numbles' and 'napron', with the n moving forwards instead of back). OK, back to the thread

b