它使用ASCII字符来标音,因此可以避免使用国际音标IPA中的一些特殊字符,在使用ASCII字符的情况下,ARPAbet是很方便的标音工具。
IPA(International Phonetic Alphabet)是国际语音学界通用的标音符号。但是,IPA有一些特殊符号是ASCII字符中没有的,在计算机上使用起来不够方便。ARPAbet是一套完全用ASCII字符来标音的符号,便于在计算机上使用。目前在自然语言处理中主要使用ARPAbet。表1和表2分别是IPA和ARPAbet的部分辅音和元音对照表:
IPA Symbol | APRAbet Symbol | Word | IPA Transcription | APRAbet Transcription |
[p] | [p] | parsley(欧芹) | [ˈparsli] | [p aa r a l iy] |
[t] | [t] | tarragon(龙蒿) | [ˈtærəgɑn] | [t ae r ax g aa n] |
[k] | [k] | catnip(猫薄荷) | [ˈkætnɨp] | [k ae t n ix p] |
[m] | [m] | mint(薄荷) | [mɪnt] | [m ih n t] |
[f] | [f] | fennel(茴香) | [ˈfεnl] | [f eh n el] |
[θ] | [th] | thistle(蓟) | [ˈθɪsl] | [th ih s el] |
[s] | [s] | sage(鼠尾草) | [seɪdʒ] | [s ey jh] |
[ʃ] | [sh] | squash(小南瓜) | [skwɑʃ] | [s k w a sh] |
[l] | [l] | licorice(甘草) | [ˈlɪkɚɨʃ] | [l ih k axr ix sh] |
[j] | [y] | yew(紫杉) | [yu] | [y uw] |
IPA Symbol | APRAbet Symbol | Word | IPA Transcription | APRAbet Transcription |
[i] | [iy] | lily(百合花) | [ˈlɪli] | [l ih l iy] |
[eɪ] | [ey] | daisy(雏菊) | [ˈdeɪzi] | [d ey z i] |
[ɑ] | [aa] | poppy(罂粟) | [ˈpapi] | [p aa p i] |
[ɔ] | [ao] | orchid(兰花) | [ˈɔrkɨd] | [ao r k ix d] |
[oʊ] | [ow] | lotus(荷花) | [ˈloʊtəs] | [l ow dx ax s] |
[u] | [uw] | tulip(郁金香) | [ˈtulɨp] | [t uw l ix p] |
[ʌ] | [uh] | buttercup(毛茛) | [ˈbʌrɚkʌp] | [b uh dx axr k uh p] |
[aɪ] | [ay] | iris(鸢尾属植物) | [ˈaɪrɨs] | [ay r ix s] |
[ju] | [y uw] | feverfew(野甘菊) | [ˈfivɚfju] | [f iy v axr f y uw] |