Handbook of the International Phonetic Association

The Association have edited the Handbook of the International Phonetic Association: A guide to the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet', published by Cambridge University Press (1999). It replaces the booklet, 'The Principles of the International Phonetic Association' (London 1949).

It is available in both hardback and paperback editions.

Running to over 200 pages, it contains ten chapters discussing and exemplifying the use of IPA in linguistic analysis. These are then followed by 29 language illustrations of the use of IPA.

Five Appendices include a statement of the Association's Principles, complete tables of computer coding conventions for IPA symbols and Extended IPA symbols, and charts of the International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA Numbers, and Extended IPA characters. See below for further details.

The basics of phonetic analysis are presented so that the principles underlying the Alphabet can be readily understood. Examples are given of the use of each of the phonetic symbols.

The application of the Alphabet is extensively demonstrated by the inclusion of 29 'Illustrations' - concise analyses of the sound systems of languages, accompanied by a phonetic transcription of a passage of speech. These Illustrations cover languages from all over the world.

In addition, audio files to accompany the language Illustrations may be downloaded from the Handbook's website hosted by the University of Victoria, Canada.

The Handbook includes a range of other useful information. The 'Extensions' to the International Phonetic Alphabet (ExtIPA) cover speech sounds beyond the sound systems of languages, such as those with paralinguistic functions and those encountered in pathological speech.

A full listing is given of internationally agreed computer codings for phonetic symbols, including not only those of the International Phonetic Alphabet but also those of other traditions.

There is extensive information on the history of the International Phonetic Association and on its current activities.

The Handbook is an essential reference work for all those involved in the analysis of speech.