Can you read IPA?

[TokyoBayer]

Taiwan uses a system called K.K., Kenyon and Knott which is similar but not identical to IPA. Here is a chart which compares some of the symbols.

Teaching English here, then I got exposed to K.K. because they are used in the material for some of the English classes.

@Acsenray

Discussion of pronunciation happens all the time on the SDMB. I don’t consider it a particularly esoteric or academic or specialized subject. All of us all the time are pronouncing things and hearing other people pronounce things, and around here people talk about pronuncation.

This is a viewpoint that comes up every once in a while here. “Don’t use those stupid dictionary symbols,” is a phrase stuck in my memory.

Here’s one example —

@ftg

IPA is totally messed up. An incredible hodgepodge of symbols that make no sense whatsoever. While a “universal” alphabet is desirable, the way the IPA has gone about it is unbelievably bad.

Avoid it around “normal” people. I.e., nearly everyone.

Yes, but look at the very first reply on that thread:

@Inner_Stickler

I don’t think IPA usage should be mandated but I reserve the right to giggle behind my hand at people trying to compare pronunciations without using IPA or X-SAMPA or another phonetic notation system.

I’m surprised that there weren’t more responses like ftg’s after that condescending post.