phonetic trascription

Is in the newest edition of Supermemo the phonetic trascription problem solved? I can't find this information on my own. Please , could you help me ?

What problem is that?

The problem is because I would rather learn by using phonetic alphabet than by ascii alphabet that you offer.
So how to write down the phonetic trascription is the problem.

I REALLY, REALLY encourage you to use the ASCII Alphabet. Typing the IPA symbols in Windows requires a lot of effort. It may look better, but it's simply not worth it!

BTW, why are you reluctant to use the ASCII Phonetic Alphabet? A number of people I know have found it quite intuitive (i.e. similar to the IPA).

Here's why I think the ASCII Alphabet is better than IPA for SuperMemo collections:

- no complicated setup
- does not require additional applications running along with SuperMemo
- easier to type in transcription than any keyboard layout you can think of
- everything is ASCII, so it's easy to export/import items (including to other devices, such as palmtops, and other operating systems)

I wanted to use IPA because i didn't wont to get confused when using my "conventional " dictionary which uses IPA.
About IPA font - I do have fonts and thats the second argument - it is only a problem that in that particular font the IPA symbols are made with shift key and therefore there are no capital letters and of course I cant write a polish letters too.
These are problems I have to think of . I read that in later edition of supermemo there is a special "window" for translation . So when I will be able to use that font only in that window and a normal fonts in the answer and question window my problems would be solved - but I dont, know if that is possible . What do you think about that?

I will continue to argue that you won't get confused for the simple reason that the ASCII Phonetic Alphabet was designed to be as similar to the IPA as possible. I taught the IPA and the ASCII Alphabet to my student and he grasped it in one day.

Sure, you can try a number of workarounds in SuperMemo (like adding a third component besides Q and A), but take it from me -- it's not worth the trouble.

You almost convinced me but I have yet another question . In IPA there are three kinds of u but in ASCII chart only two. The one that is missing is this in transcription of "gradual" .Why is that so ?

Actually, in the standard IPA set there are two kinds of "u" (long and short). The "middle u" (as well as the "middle i") are an extension used in many modern dictionaries.

Why did we include the "middle i" and leave out the "middle u"?
- The "middle u" is not nearly as frequent as the "middle i".
- It is acceptable to pronounce the short [u] in place of the "middle u". It is less acceptable to pronounce either [i] or [i:] in place of [i(:)].

We thought that it didn't make sense to scare people off with yet another symbol, whose importance was really marginal.

However, since you asked about this, I encourage you to use the [u(:)] symbol for the "middle u". And thanks for a great question!

I'm learning and writing phonetic transcription but I have a lot of problem for using the computer with this symbols . In my Word program only I've found a little symbols. What computer programm I should use for writing all the symbols very quickly?.
Thanks for your help!
Carlos

Use the ASCII Phonetic Alphabet instead of the IPA.

Tom,
I've a lot of problems for memorize all the IPA simbols.Don't seem one extra work to memorize the ASCII too ? In addition if you want to cheek the right answer to one transcription word, you only have to look at diccionary for find the right solution. If you use the ASCII phonetic alphabet , where do you cheek the right word ?
Isn't better to incorporate one program with the IPA simbols in the computer? Is it so difficult? I thought that in informatic all the things were possible!
Thanks,
Carlos

The ASCII Phonetic Alphabet is similar to the IPA, so you should have no problem translating between the two alphabets. It shouldn't be too much work learning the ASCII alphabet once you learn the IPA.