X-SAMPA
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The Extended Speech Assessment Methods Phonetic Alphabet (X-SAMPA) is a variant of SAMPA developed in 1995 by John C. Wells, professor of phonetics at University College London.[1] It is designed to unify the individual language SAMPA alphabets, and extend SAMPA to cover the entire range of characters in the 1993 version of International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The result is a SAMPA-inspired remapping of the IPA into 7-bit ASCII.
SAMPA was devised as a hack to work around the inability of text encodings to represent IPA symbols. Later, as Unicode support for IPA symbols became more widespread, the necessity for a separate, computer-readable system for representing the IPA in ASCII decreased. However, X-SAMPA is still useful as the basis for an input method for true IPA.
Summary
[edit]Notes
[edit]- The IPA symbols that are ordinary lower case letters have the same value in X-SAMPA as they do in the IPA.
- X-SAMPA uses backslashes as modifying suffixes to create new symbols. For example,
O
is a distinct sound fromO\
, to which it bears no relation. Such use of the backslash character can be a problem, since many programs interpret it as an escape character for the character following it. For example, such X-SAMPA symbols do not work in EMU, so backslashes must be replaced with some other symbol (e.g., an asterisk: '*') when adding phonemic transcription to an EMU speech database. The backslash has no fixed meaning. - X-SAMPA diacritics follow the symbols they modify. Except for
~
for nasalization,=
for syllabicity, and`
for retroflexion and rhotacization, diacritics are joined to the character with the underscore character_
. - The underscore character is also used to encode the IPA tiebar:
k_p
codes for /k͡p/. - The numbers
_1
to_6
are reserved diacritics as shorthand for language-specific tone numbers. - The IETF language tags registry has assigned
fonxsamp
as the subtag for text transcribed in X-SAMPA.[2]
Lower-case symbols
[edit]X-SAMPA | IPA | IPA image | Description | Examples |
---|---|---|---|---|
a | a | open front unrounded vowel | French dame [dam] | |
b | b | voiced bilabial plosive | English bed [bEd] , French bon [bO~] | |
b_< | ɓ | voiced bilabial implosive | Sindhi ɓarʊ [b_<arU ] | |
c | c | voiceless palatal plosive | Hungarian latyak ["lQcQk] | |
d | d | voiced alveolar plosive | English dig [dIg] , French doigt [dwa] | |
d` | ɖ | voiced retroflex plosive | Swedish hord [hu:d`] | |
d_< | ɗ | voiced alveolar implosive | Sindhi ɗarʊ [d_<arU ] | |
e | e | close-mid front unrounded vowel | French blé [ble] | |
f | f | voiceless labiodental fricative | English five [faIv] , French femme [fam] | |
g | ɡ | voiced velar plosive | English game [geIm] , French longue [lO~g] | |
g_< | ɠ | voiced velar implosive | Sindhi ɠəro [g_<@ro ] | |
h | h | voiceless glottal fricative | English house [haUs] | |
h\ | ɦ | voiced glottal fricative | Czech hrad [h\rat] | |
i | i | close front unrounded vowel | English be [bi:] , French oui [wi] , Spanish si [si] | |
j | j | palatal approximant | English yes [jEs] , French yeux [j2] | |
j\ | ʝ | voiced palatal fricative | Greek γειά [j\a] | |
k | k | voiceless velar plosive | English skip [skIp] , Spanish carro ["karo] | |
l | l | alveolar lateral approximant | English lay [leI] , French mal [mal] | |
l` | ɭ | retroflex lateral approximant | Svealand Swedish sorl [so:l`] | |
l\ | ɺ | alveolar lateral flap | Wayuu püülükü [pM:l\MkM] | |
m | m | bilabial nasal | English mouse [maUs] , French homme [Om] | |
n | n | alveolar nasal | English nap [n{p] , French non [nO~] | |
n` | ɳ | retroflex nasal | Swedish hörn [h2:n`] | |
o | o | close-mid back rounded vowel | French veau [vo] | |
p | p | voiceless bilabial plosive | English speak [spik] , French pose [poz] , Spanish perro ["pero] | |
p\ | ɸ | voiceless bilabial fricative | Japanese fuku [p\M_0kM] | |
q | q | voiceless uvular plosive | Arabic qasbah ["qQs_Gba] | |
r | r | alveolar trill | Spanish perro ["pero] | |
r` | ɽ | retroflex flap | Bengali gari [gar`i:] | |
r\ | ɹ | alveolar approximant | English red [r\Ed] | |
r\` | ɻ | retroflex approximant | Malayalam വഴി ["v@r\`i] | |
s | s | voiceless alveolar fricative | English seem [si:m] , French session [sE"sjO~] | |
s` | ʂ | voiceless retroflex fricative | Swedish mars [mas`] | |
s\ | ɕ | voiceless alveolo-palatal fricative | Polish świerszcz [s\v'ers`ts`] | |
t | t | voiceless alveolar plosive | English stew [stju:] , French raté [Ra"te] | |
t` | ʈ | voiceless retroflex plosive | Swedish mört [m2t`] | |
u | u | close back rounded vowel | English boom [bu:m] , Spanish su [su] | |
v | v | voiced labiodental fricative | English vest [vEst] , French voix [vwa] | |
v\ (or P ) | ʋ | labiodental approximant | Dutch west [v\Est] /[PEst] | |
w | w | labial-velar approximant | English west [wEst] , French oui [wi] | |
x | x | voiceless velar fricative | Scots loch [lOx] or [5Ox] ; German Buch, Dach; Spanish caja, gestión | |
x\ | ɧ | voiceless palatal-velar fricative | Swedish sjal [x\A:l] | |
y | y | close front rounded vowel | French tu [ty] German über ["y:b6] | |
z | z | voiced alveolar fricative | English zoo [zu:] , French azote [a"zOt] | |
z` | ʐ | voiced retroflex fricative | Mandarin Chinese rang [z`aN] | |
z\ | ʑ | voiced alveolo-palatal fricative | Polish źrebak ["z\rEbak] |
Capital symbols
[edit]X-SAMPA | IPA | IPA image | Description | Example |
---|---|---|---|---|
A | ɑ | open back unrounded vowel | English father ["fA:D@ (r\ )] (RP and Gen.Am.) | |
B | β | voiced bilabial fricative | Spanish lavar [la"Ba4] | |
B\ | ʙ | bilabial trill | Reminiscent of shivering ("brrr") | |
C | ç | voiceless palatal fricative | German ich [IC] , English human ["Cjum@n] (broad transcription uses [hj -]) | |
D | ð | voiced dental fricative | English then [DEn] | |
E | ɛ | open-mid front unrounded vowel | French même [mE:m] , English met [mEt] (RP and Gen.Am.) | |
F | ɱ | labiodental nasal | English emphasis ["EFf@sIs] (spoken quickly, otherwise uses [Emf -]) | |
G | ɣ | voiced velar fricative | Greek γωνία [Go"nia] | |
G\ | ɢ | voiced uvular plosive | Inuktitut nirivvik [niG\ivvik] | |
G\_< | ʛ | voiced uvular implosive | Mam ʛa [G\_<a ] | |
H | ɥ | labial-palatal approximant | French huit [Hit] | |
H\ | ʜ | voiceless epiglottal fricative | Agul мехӀ [mEH\] | |
I | ɪ | near-close front unrounded vowel | English kit [kIt] | |
I\ | ᵻ | near-close central unrounded vowel (non-IPA) | Polish ryba [rI\bA] | |
J | ɲ | palatal nasal | Spanish año ["aJo] , English canyon ["k{J@n] (broad transcription uses [-nj -]) | |
J\ | ɟ | voiced palatal plosive | Hungarian egy [EJ\] | |
J\_< | ʄ | voiced palatal implosive | Sindhi ʄaro [J\_<aro ] | |
K | ɬ | voiceless alveolar lateral fricative | Welsh llaw [KaU] | |
K\ | ɮ | voiced alveolar lateral fricative | Mongolian долоо [tOK\O:] | |
L | ʎ | palatal lateral approximant | Italian famiglia [fa"miLLa] , Castilian: llamar [La"mar] | |
L\ | ʟ | velar lateral approximant | Korean 달구지 [t6L\gudz\i] | |
M | ɯ | close back unrounded vowel | Korean 음식 [M:ms\_hik_}] | |
M\ | ɰ | velar approximant | Spanish fuego ["fweM\o] | |
N | ŋ | velar nasal | English thing [TIN] | |
N\ | ɴ | uvular nasal | Japanese さん san [saN\] | |
O | ɔ | open-mid back rounded vowel | American English off [O:f] | |
O\ | ʘ | bilabial click | ||
P (or v\ ) | ʋ | labiodental approximant | Dutch west [PEst] /[v\Est] , allophone of English phoneme /r\/ | |
Q | ɒ | open back rounded vowel | RP lot [lQt] | |
R | ʁ | voiced uvular fricative | German rein [RaIn] | |
R\ | ʀ | uvular trill | French roi [R\wa] | |
S | ʃ | voiceless postalveolar fricative | English ship [SIp] | |
T | θ | voiceless dental fricative | English thin [TIn] | |
U | ʊ | near-close back rounded vowel | English foot [fUt] | |
U\ | ᵿ | near-close central rounded vowel (non-IPA) | English euphoria [jU\"fO@r\i@] | |
V | ʌ | open-mid back unrounded vowel | Scottish English strut [str\Vt] | |
W | ʍ | voiceless labial-velar fricative | Scots when [WEn] | |
X | χ | voiceless uvular fricative | Klallam sχaʔqʷaʔ [sXa?q_wa?] | |
X\ | ħ | voiceless pharyngeal fricative | Arabic ح ḥāʾ [X\A:] | |
Y | ʏ | near-close front rounded vowel | German hübsch [hYpS] | |
Z | ʒ | voiced postalveolar fricative | English vision ["vIZ@n] |
Other symbols
[edit]X-SAMPA | IPA | IPA image | Description | Example |
---|---|---|---|---|
. | . | syllable break | ||
" | ˈ | primary stress | ||
% | ˌ | secondary stress | American English pronunciation [pr\@%nVn.si."eI.S@n] | |
' (or _j ) | ʲ | palatalized | Russian Земля (Earth) [z'I"ml'a] or [z_jI"ml_ja] | |
: | ː | long | ||
:\ | ˑ | half long | Estonian differentiates three vowel lengths | |
- | separator | Polish trzy [t-S1] vs. czy [tS1] (affricate) | ||
@ | ə | schwa | English arena [@"r\i:n@] | |
@\ | ɘ | close-mid central unrounded vowel | Chuvash пӗррехинче [p@\rrEXints\E] | |
@` | ɚ | r-coloured schwa | American English color ["kVl@`] | |
{ | æ | near-open front unrounded vowel | English trap [tr\{p] | |
} | ʉ | close central rounded vowel | Swedish sju [x\}:] ; AuE/NZE boot [b}:t] | |
1 | ɨ | close central unrounded vowel | Welsh tu [t1] , American English rose's ["r\oUz1z] | |
2 | ø | close-mid front rounded vowel | Danish købe ["k2:b@] , French deux [d2] | |
3 | ɜ | open-mid central unrounded vowel | English nurse [n3:s] (RP) or [n3`s] (Gen.Am.) | |
3\ | ɞ | open-mid central rounded vowel | Irish tomhail [t3\:l'] | |
4 | ɾ | alveolar flap | Spanish pero ["pe4o] , American English better ["bE4@`] | |
5 | ɫ | velarized alveolar lateral approximant; also see _e | English milk [mI5k] , Portuguese livro ["5iv4u] | |
6 | ɐ | near-open central vowel | German besser ["bEs6] , Australian English mud [m6d] | |
7 | ɤ | close-mid back unrounded vowel | Estonian kõik [k7ik] , Vietnamese mơ [m7_M] | |
8 | ɵ | close-mid central rounded vowel | Swedish buss [b8s] | |
9 | œ | open-mid front rounded vowel | French neuf [n9f] , Danish drømme [dR9m@] | |
& | ɶ | open front rounded vowel | Swedish skörd [x\&d`] | |
? | ʔ | glottal stop | Cockney English bottle ["bQ?o] | |
?\ | ʕ | voiced pharyngeal fricative | Arabic ع ʿayn [?\Ajn] | |
* | undefined escape character, SAMPA's "conjunctor" | |||
/ | / | (a) French vowel archiphonemes or indeterminacies (b) delimiter of phonemic transcriptions | maison /mE/zO~/ | |
< | ⟨ | begin nonsegmental notation, e.g., SAMPROSA[3] | ||
<\ | ʢ | voiced epiglottal fricative | Siwi arˤbˤəʢa (four) [ar_?\b_?\@<\a] | |
> | ⟩ | end nonsegmental notation | ||
>\ | ʡ | epiglottal plosive | Archi гӀарз (complaint) [>\arz] | |
^ | ꜛ | upstep | ||
! | ꜜ | downstep | ||
!\ | ǃ | postalveolar click | Zulu iqaqa (polecat) [i:!\a:!\a] | |
| | | | minor (foot) group | ||
|\ | ǀ | dental click | Zulu icici (earring) [i:|\i:|\i] | |
|| | ‖ | major (intonation) group | ||
|\|\ | ǁ | alveolar lateral click | Zulu xoxa (to converse) [|\|\O:|\|\a] | |
=\ | ǂ | palatal click | ||
-\ | ‿ | linking mark |
Diacritics
[edit]X-SAMPA | IPA | IPA image | Description |
---|---|---|---|
_" | ̈ | centralized | |
_+ | ̟ | advanced | |
_- | ̠ | retracted | |
_/ | ̌ | rising tone | |
_0 | ̥ | voiceless | |
_< | implosive (IPA uses separate symbols for implosives) | ||
= (or _= ) | ̩ | syllabic | |
_> | ʼ | ejective | |
_?\ | ˤ | pharyngealized | |
_\ (or _F ) | ̂ | falling tone | |
_^ | ̯ | non-syllabic | |
_} | ̚ | no audible release | |
` | ˞ | rhotacization in vowels, retroflexion in consonants (IPA uses separate symbols for consonants, see t` for an example) | |
~ (or _~ ) | ̃ | nasalization | |
_A | ̘ | advanced tongue root | |
_a | ̺ | apical | |
_B | ̏ | extra low tone | |
_B_L | ᷅ | low rising tone | |
_c | ̜ | less rounded | |
_d | ̪ | dental | |
_e | ̴ | velarized or pharyngealized; also see 5 | |
<F> | ↘ | global fall | |
_F (or _\ ) | ̂ | falling tone | |
_G | ˠ | velarized | |
_H | ́ | high tone | |
_H_T | ᷄ | high rising tone | |
_h | ʰ | aspirated | |
_j (or ' ) | ʲ | palatalized | |
_k | ̰ | creaky voice | |
_L | ̀ | low tone | |
_l | ˡ | lateral release | |
_M | ̄ | mid tone | |
_m | ̻ | laminal | |
_N | ̼ | linguolabial | |
_n | ⁿ | nasal release | |
_O | ̹ | more rounded | |
_o | ̞ | lowered | |
_q | ̙ | retracted tongue root | |
<R> | ↗ | global rise | |
_R | ̌ | rising tone | |
_R_F | ᷈ | rising falling tone | |
_r | ̝ | raised | |
_T | ̋ | extra high tone | |
_t | ̤ | breathy voice | |
_v | ̬ | voiced | |
_w | ʷ | labialized | |
_X | ̆ | extra-short | |
_x | ̽ | mid-centralized |
Charts
[edit]Consonants
[edit]Consonants (pulmonic) | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Place of articulation → | Labial | Coronal | Dorsal | Laryngeal | |||||||||||||
Manner of articulation ↓ | Bilabial | Labio‐ dental | Dental | Alveolar | Post‐ alveolar | Retro‐ flex | Palatal | Velar | Uvular | Pharyn‐ geal | Epi‐ glottal | Glottal | |||||
Nasal | m | F | n | n` | J | N | N\ | ||||||||||
Plosive | p b | p_d b_d | t d | t` d` | c J\ | k g | q G\ | >\ | ? | ||||||||
Fricative | p\ B | f v | T D | s z | S Z | s` z` | C j\ | x G | X | R | X\ | ?\ | H\ | <\ | h h\ | ||
Approximant | B_o | v\ | r\ | r\` | j | M\ | |||||||||||
Trill | B\ | r | * | R\ | * | ||||||||||||
Tap or Flap | *† | *† | 4 | r` | * | ||||||||||||
Lateral Fricative | K K\ | * | * | * | |||||||||||||
Lateral Approximant | l | l` | L | L\ | |||||||||||||
Lateral Flap | l\ | * | * | * |
- Asterisks (*) mark sounds that do not have X-SAMPA symbols. Daggers (†) mark IPA symbols that have recently been added to Unicode. Since April 2008, the latter is the case of the labiodental flap, symbolized by a right-hook v in the IPA: . A convention for the labiodental flap does not yet exist in X-SAMPA.
Coarticulated | |
---|---|
W | Voiceless labialized velar approximant |
w | Voiced labialized velar approximant |
H | Voiced labialized palatal approximant |
s\ | Voiceless palatalized postalveolar (alveolo-palatal) fricative |
z\ | Voiced palatalized postalveolar (alveolo-palatal) fricative |
x\ | Voiceless "palatal-velar" fricative |
Affricates and double articulation | |
---|---|
ts | voiceless alveolar affricate |
dz | voiced alveolar affricate |
tS | voiceless postalveolar affricate |
dZ | voiced postalveolar affricate |
ts\ | voiceless alveolo-palatal affricate |
dz\ | voiced alveolo-palatal affricate |
tK | voiceless alveolar lateral affricate |
dK\ | voiced alveolar lateral affricate |
kp | voiceless labial-velar plosive |
gb | voiced labial-velar plosive |
Nm | labial-velar nasal stop |
Consonants (non-pulmonic) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clicks | Implosives | Ejectives | |||
O\ | Bilabial | b_< | Bilabial | _> | For example: |
|\ | Laminal alveolar ("dental") | d_< | Alveolar | p_> | Bilabial |
!\ | Apical (post-) alveolar ("retroflex") | J\_< | Palatal | t_> | Alveolar |
=\ | Laminal postalveolar ("palatal") | g_< | Velar | k_> | Velar |
|\|\ | Lateral coronal ("lateral") | G\_< | Uvular | s_> | Alveolar fricative |
Vowels
[edit]See also
[edit]- Comparison of ASCII encodings of the International Phonetic Alphabet
- List of phonetics topics
- SAMPA, a language-specific predecessor of X-SAMPA
- SAMPA chart for English
References
[edit]- ^ Wells, J.C. "Computer-coding the IPA: a proposed extension of SAMPA" (PDF). UCL Phonetics and Linguistics. University College London. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
- ^ "Language Subtag Registry" (text). IETF. 2022-08-08. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ For a summary of SAMPROSA, see Wells, J.C. (19 September 1995). "SAMPROSA (SAM Prosodic Transcription)". UCL Phonetics and Linguistics. University College London. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
External links
[edit]- Computer-coding the IPA: A proposed extension of SAMPA
- X-SAMPA to IPA to CXS converter
- Web-based translator for X-SAMPA documents. Produces Unicode text, XML text, PostScript, PDF, or LaTeX TIPA.
- Z-SAMPA, a backward-compatible extension of X-SAMPA sometimes used for conlangs