The Translingual Phonetic Alphabet (TPA) is a phonetic alphabet that is based on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). This is the repository where I host documentation related to this scientific project.
I created the TPA because I found the IPA to be too inaccurate, illegible, computer incompatible, inextensive and that it "looks bad".
I wanted to create a phonetic alphabet that was more logical, more legible, more aesthetically pleasing and computer compatible. Thus, the TPA is a complete Unicode phonetic alphabet that is suitable to be used with computers. This project is in continuous development and it is mainted by its author.
The IPA also has complete representation in Unicode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet
ABOUT: I created the TPA after having taken a break from the study of phonetics in order to study computer programming. There, I learned of the importance of logical thinking, as computer programs do not work if you do not follow logic.
After having understood the concepts of logic, I came back to phonetics and now I was able to have a deeper understanding of the subject. For example, I did not understand how ejective consonants were pronounced. I read articles which claimed that there were such consonants and I viewed a video clip where someone pronounced them correctly. I myself was unable to pronounce them. I did not know how to; however, I finally figured out how to pronounce them alongside many different sounds pronounceable by the human vocal tract and I proceeded to categorize them and I created my own phonetic alphabet.
In this repository, you can find some LibreOffice (.ods) and Portable Document Format (.pdf) document files as well as other files and screenshots that document the letters of the Translingual Phonetic Alphabet and its combining diacritics and other graphical markings with information and audio files.
These spreadsheet files can also be opened in Microsoft Excel.
(Note: some of the code that the spreadsheets use may not work there.)
If you are looking for a good, capable font that can display all of the letters of the TPA.
I highly suggest that you download the font called Code2000 and use it on any TPA phonetic transcription.
I can not guarantee that the letters of the TPA will show correctly in any other font as I am testing the alphabet on the use of this font, however other fonts may also give satisfactory results.
I am not the author of this font, but I am hosting it here as I can not find this font anywhere else.
Link to the Repository of the font:
https://github.com/SalviaSage/Code2000-Font
Also, as of version 3.2 a keyboard typeable method has been uploaded and is being developed.
https://github.com/SalviaSage/Translingual-Phonetic-Alphabet/tree/master/Win10%20Keyboard%20Typable%20Method
If you are looking for a guide on how to use the TPA for doing phonetic notations and want more instructions and details.
You can read my gist publication here:
https://gist.github.com/SalviaSage/a08f5d6d8761f38df8e61470a679d4eb
If you want to hear some of the audio recordings I made where I make explanations and demonstrations:
You can find them here:
https://github.com/SalviaSage/Translingual-Phonetic-Alphabet/tree/master/Audio%20Recordings
Thanks for your interest in the TPA, feel free to raise any issues on the Issues page here:
https://github.com/SalviaSage/Translingual-Phonetic-Alphabet/issues
Also of note, I have written a "scientific literary work" on the subject of Articulatory Phonetics:
https://gist.github.com/SalviaSage/1e7671e4cec5044a88398cce24c57abf
"GitHub" is where I aim to host the entirety of the project in its electronic format forever unless otherwise. I will not be creating a print form of this project as I find no need to do so, but I do not object to that notion otherwise.
Copyright 2021-20** SalviaSage
Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
You may obtain a copy of the License at
http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
limitations under the License.