Question

Which transcription system is most widely used by linguists?

• A. IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet)
• B. SAMPA
• C. ASCII
• D. Morse Code

Answer 1

Answer:

A. IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet)

The most widely used transcription system by linguists is the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).

Why is IPA the Standard?

✔ Universality – Covers all the world's languages.
✔ Accuracy – Represents actual speech sounds (phonemes & allophones) precisely.
✔ Consistency – Avoids spelling inconsistencies found in different writing systems.
✔ Detail – Can be used for both phonemic (/ /) and phonetic ([ ]) transcriptions.

Example in IPA:

• English word: "think"

  • Phonemic transcription: /θɪŋk/

  • Phonetic transcription: [θɪ̃ŋk] (shows nasalization)