Basics of Phonetics & English Phonology

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

I attempted to rise, but was not able to stir: for, as I happened to lie on my back, I found my arms and legs were strongly fastened on each side to the ground. I heard a confused noise about me; but in the posture I lay, could see nothing except the sky. In a little time I felt something alive moving on my left leg, which advancing gently forward over my breast, came almost up to my chin; when, bending my eyes downwards as much as I could, I perceived it to be a human creature not six inches high, with a bow and arrow in his hands, and a quiver at his back.

[aɪ̯ əˈtɛmptɪd tə ˈraɪ̯z | bət wəz nɒt eɪ̯bl̩ tə ˈstɜː | fɔː | əz aɪ̯ ˈhæpn̩d tə laɪ̯ ɒn maɪ̯ ˈbæk | aɪ̯ faʊ̯nd maɪ̯ ɑːmz ənd ˈlɛɡz | wə strɒŋli ˈfɑːsn̩d | ɒn iːʧ ˈsaɪ̯d tə ðə ˈɡraʊ̯nd ‖ aɪ̯ hɜːd ə kənfjuːzd ˈnɔɪ̯z əbaʊ̯t mi | bət ɪn ðə ˈpɒsʧə aɪ̯ ˈleɪ̯ | kʊd siː ˈnʌθɪŋ ɪksɛpt ðə ˈskaɪ̯ ‖ ɪn ə lɪtl̩ ˈtaɪ̯m | aɪ̯ fɛlt sʌmθɪŋ əˈlaɪ̯v | muːvɪŋ ɒn maɪ̯ lɛft ˈlɛɡ | wɪʧ | ədvɑːnsɪŋ ʤɛntli ˈfɔːwəd əʊ̯və maɪ̯ ˈbrɛst | keɪ̯m ˈɔːlməʊ̯st ʌp tə maɪ̯ ˈʧɪn | wɛn bɛndɪŋ maɪ̯ aɪ̯z ˈdaʊ̯nwədz əz mʌʧ əz aɪ̯ ˈkʊd | aɪ̯ pəˈsiːvd ɪt | tə bi ə hjuːmən ˈkriːʧə | nɒt ˈsɪks ɪnʧɪz haɪ̯ | wɪð ə bəʊ̯ ənd ˈærəʊ̯ ɪn hɪz hændz | ənd ə ˈkwɪvər ət hɪz ˈbæk]

[aɪ̯ əˈtɛmptɪd tə ˈraɪ̯z | bət wəz nɑːt eɪ̯bl̩ tə ˈstɝː | fɔːr | əz aɪ̯ ˈhæpn̩d tə laɪ̯ ɑːn maɪ̯ ˈbæk | aɪ̯ faʊ̯nd maɪ̯ ɑːrmz ənd ˈlɛɡz | wɚ strɔːŋli ˈfæsn̩d | ɑːn iːʧ ˈsaɪ̯d tə ðə ˈɡraʊ̯nd ‖ aɪ̯ hɝːd ə kənfjuːzd ˈnɔɪ̯z əbaʊ̯t mi | bət ɪn ðə ˈpɑːsʧɚ aɪ̯ ˈleɪ̯ | kʊd siː ˈnʌθɪŋ ɪksɛpt ðə ˈskaɪ̯ ‖ ɪn ə lɪtl̩ ˈtaɪ̯m | aɪ̯ fɛlt sʌmθɪŋ əˈlaɪ̯v | muːvɪŋ ɑːn maɪ̯ lɛft ˈlɛɡ | wɪʧ | ədvænsɪŋ ʤɛntli ˈfɔːrwɚd oʊ̯vɚ maɪ̯ ˈbrɛst | keɪ̯m ˈɔːlmoʊ̯st ʌp tə maɪ̯ ˈʧɪn | wɛn bɛndɪŋ maɪ̯ aɪ̯z ˈdaʊ̯nwɚdz əz mʌʧ əz aɪ̯ ˈkʊd | aɪ̯ pɚˈsiːvd ɪt | tə bi ə hjuːmən ˈkriːʧɚ | nɑːt ˈsɪks ɪnʧɪz haɪ̯ | wɪθ ə boʊ̯ ənd ˈæroʊ̯ ɪn hɪz hændz | ənd ə ˈkwɪvɚ ət hɪz ˈbæk]

© Frank Lorenz