Useful Tools
You want to transcribe on a tablet or computer or annotate an audio file and perform your own measurements? Come this way! On this page you find links to many useful apps that you can use.
Get an IPA Font
You want to transcribe IPA on your computer? It is easy, but you need to make sure that the font you want to use contains IPA symbols.
On Windows, the fonts Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Consolas, Courier New, Lucida Sans Unicode, Segoe UI, Tahoma and Times New Roman should all include IPA symbols.
But there plenty of additional fonts that you can download free of charge. Simply unpack the TTF or OTF files, select them, right-click and choose Install.
If you are unsure if the font you are using contains IPA symbols, copy the following line and format it with the font in question. If the symbols look different than all the other letters of the font, then the font lacks IPA symbols.
[aɪ̯ɑæʌðɛəɚɜɡɪl̩ŋɔɒʃʒθʊ]
Type IPA on Your Computer
Compose Key
Compose Key is a typing system for special characters mainly known from Linux, but it is also available for other operating systems. The keyboard layout remains the same, but is extended by countless possibilities. To enter special characters, you press the Compose key (on Windows the [Alt Gr] key, to right of space bar) and then enter a combination of two or more characters, which are often chosen very intuitively.
Unicode Phonetic Keyboard
The Unicode Phonetic Keyboard is an additional keyboard driver for Windows, and it is ideal if you need to type longer texts. It adds an additional keyboard layout that you can switch towith the language selector in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, next to the clock.
Typing in Your Browser
In case you need a quick fix, perhaps because you do not have the time to install additional software or you lack the rights on the computer you are using, you can also type in your web browser on the following website and then cut and paste to the document where you need IPA transcription.
Type IPA on Your Tablet or Smartphone
One keyboard that supports typing in IPA is Gboard by Google. This may already be the default keyboard that your phone or tablet comes equipped with. If not, you can download it fromPlay Store and activate it in the settings.
Add ‘International Phonetic Alphabet’ as an additional language. (Search for ‘international’, as searching for ‘IPA’ will yield no results.) As a keyboard layout, you can select ‘QWERTY’ (normal keyboard layout; press long and swipe for IPA symbols) or ‘IPA chart’ (only IPA symbols, arranged by how the sounds are produced (manner of articulation)). To switch between keyboard layouts, hold down the space bar.
iOS
One IPA keyboard app for iOS is IPA Phonetic Keyboard. Install the app from the App Store. Click on the app for instructions on how to activate the keyboard layout in the settings. To change keyboards, press and hold the globe symbol.
Use Pronunciation Dictionaries
Annotate and Measure with Praat
Praat is a software for phonetic analysis. You can download it free of charge and unpack it. The software does not need to be installed.
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