How to learn IPA?

If you're new to these arts, this is the place to ask "stupid" questions and get directions!
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Tiago
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How to learn IPA?

Post by Tiago »

May be a question has done or even stupid, but what is the best way to learn the IPA and its use?
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Testyal
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Re: How to learn IPA?

Post by Testyal »

Practise. That's all the advice I can really give you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internatio ... c_Alphabet

Open that page, and have a read of it.

suːn jəl bi e͡ɪbl̩ tə 'riːd ðɪs
:deu: :fra: :zho: :epo:
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Ceresz
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Re: How to learn IPA?

Post by Ceresz »

This is a very good and basic introduction. If only Ossicone stopped being lazy.

By the way, I think it should be moved to the beginners' corner.
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Ossicone
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Re: How to learn IPA?

Post by Ossicone »

Ceresz wrote:This is a very good and basic introduction. If only Ossicone stopped being lazy.

By the way, I think it should be moved to the beginners' corner.
Even if it is sadly incomplete it does a good job of introducing some fundamental concepts. (If I may so myself. :mrgreen: )
And it's still on my list of things to do...

Moved to the Beginners Corner.
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Chagen
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Re: How to learn IPA?

Post by Chagen »

I just learned through use and rote memorization.

Maybe that won't work for you, though
Nūdenku waga honji ma naku honyasi ne ika-ika ichamase!
female-appearance=despite boy-voice=PAT hold boy-youth=TOP very be.cute-3PL
Honyasi zō honyasi ma naidasu.
boy-youth=AGT boy-youth=PAT love.romantically-3S
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Ànradh
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Re: How to learn IPA?

Post by Ànradh »

You'll find that making your lang' and reading posts on this forum will make you pick it up pretty quickly.
I wouldn't worry too much about trying to memorise it or anything.
Sin ar Pàrras agus nì sinne mar a thogras sinn. Choisinn sinn e agus ’s urrainn dhuinn ga loisgeadh.
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cybrxkhan
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Re: How to learn IPA?

Post by cybrxkhan »

Yah, don't try memorizing it all in one wallop (or even a few); it won't work. The best way to learn it is to refer to it when you're working on your conlangs, or reading about others'. When selecting sounds for your conlang, or looking up the sounds of others' languages, for instance, it'd help to listen to the IPA samples on wikipedia. Eventually you slowly remember them through familiarity.

Also it may help to start off figuring out at least the IPA for your native tongue (English, I presume) or some other language you know reasonably well. That way you get a feel of how the various components of the IPA work.
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Visinoid
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Re: How to learn IPA?

Post by Visinoid »

Tiago wrote:May be a question has done or even stupid, but what is the best way to learn the IPA and its use?
Go take a look at how your language (Portuguese), even all the other ones you master well, handles the IPA, you'll better understand the system.
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eldin raigmore
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Re: How to learn IPA?

Post by eldin raigmore »

Visinoid wrote:
Tiago wrote:May be a question has done or even stupid, but what is the best way to learn the IPA and its use?
Go take a look at how your language (Portuguese), even all the other ones you master well, handles the IPA, you'll better understand the system.
Transcribe each of your posts into IPA.
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Re: How to learn IPA?

Post by xBlackWolfx »

i learned it mostly through wikipedia, if you copy-paste an ipa symbol into wikipedia's search bar, it'll take you to a page devoted to that one symbol, telling you everything about, including what languages it occurs in. another good way to start, is to look at the phonology sections for languages you know. that's how i learned it.
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