Question

What is transcription in linguistics?

• A. The process of writing in cursive
• B. The representation of speech sounds using written symbols
• C. The translation of one language into another
• D. The study of word meanings

Answer 1

Answer:

B. The representation of speech sounds using written symbols

Transcription in linguistics is the process of representing speech sounds using written symbols. It is used to accurately record pronunciation, regardless of spelling differences across languages.

Types of Transcription:

1. Phonetic Transcription (Broad & Narrow)

   • Represents actual speech sounds as precisely as possible.

   • Uses the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).

   • Example:

     • "think" → [θɪŋk] (broad transcription)

     • "butter" → [ˈbʌɾɚ] (narrow transcription in American English)

2. Phonemic Transcription

   • Represents phonemes (distinctive sounds in a language) without finer details.

   • Uses slashes (/ /) instead of brackets.

   • Example:

     • "think" → /θɪŋk/

     • "butter" → /ˈbʌtər/