Tag: Writing Tips
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What is Americanist Phonetic Notation?
In my last article on linguistics I reviewed the American Heritage Dictionary’s phonetic notation system. It was bad to say the least (the American Heritage Dictionary, I mean—not my article, hopefully). But there are other alternatives one might choose instead of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). I’m going to examine one of those today from…
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The Problem with the American Heritage Dictionary
Most dictionaries use a system of transcribing sounds called the International Phonetic Alphabet (or IPA). It eliminates most ambiguities so that—if you know how to use it—you can figure out exactly how a word should be pronounced. The IPA is also useful if you want to make up a fictional language for your story, as…
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Using the IPA to Create a Fantasy Language
If you’re creating a fictional language for a fantasy story, you’ll want to do more than build words out of letters. What you’re going to need are sounds and a way to write them without ambiguity. In this article, I will discuss how the International Phonetic Alphabet can help you invent a fantasy language. To…
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Writing Tip: The International Phonetic Alphabet Is Your Friend
If you’re writing a fantasy story that takes place in a different world, you’ll more than likely have to make up some words. Maybe you want to create a whole language, or maybe you just need a few names for characters or places. Either way, words are a big deal in the fantasy genre; they…