fabiform <fabiform_wikipedian(a)yahoo.com> writes:
I'm comfortable with using the IPA, but many
people do find all the symbols
off-putting. In fact, very few dictionaries use it, presumably for that
reason. Perhaps SAMPA is a bit friendlier?
All printed dictionary I am own use the IPA. Maybe, online ditionaries
are different? If yes, they might be different because editor don't
know how to enter IPA symbols.
This SAMPA looks very ugly to me and I have never learnt it.
I also find many of its usages to be counterintuitive. The advantage of
the "unusual" symbols is that the reader does not have preconceptions
about what they mean.
Ec