Basics of Phonetics & English Phonology

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

A slight clinking behind me made me turn my head. Six black men advanced in a file, toiling up the path. They walked erect and slow, balancing small baskets full of earth on their heads, and the clink kept time with their footsteps. Black rags were wound round their loins, and the short ends behind wagged to and fro like tails. I could see every rib, the joints of their limbs were like knots in a rope; each had an iron collar on his neck, and all were connected together with a chain whose bights swung between them, rhythmically clinking.

[ə slaɪ̯t ˈklɪŋkɪŋ bɪhaɪ̯nd miː | meɪ̯d mi tɜːn maɪ̯ ˈhɛd ‖ sɪks blæk ˈmɛn ədvɑːnst ɪn ə ˈfaɪ̯l | tɔɪ̯lɪŋ ʌp ðə ˈpɑːθ ‖ ðeɪ̯ wɔːkt ɪˈrɛkt ənd ˈsləʊ̯ | bælənsɪŋ smɔːl ˈbɑːskɪts | fʊl əv ˈɜːθ ɒn ðɛə̯ hɛdz | ənd ðə ˈklɪŋk | kɛpt taɪ̯m wɪð ðɛə̯ ˈfʊtstɛps ‖ blæk ˈræɡz | wə waʊ̯nd raʊ̯nd ðɛə̯ ˈlɔɪ̯nz | ənd ðə ʃɔːt ɛndz bɪˈhaɪ̯nd | wæɡd ˈtuː ənd ˈfrəʊ̯ laɪ̯k teɪ̯lz ‖ aɪ̯ kʊd siː ɛvri ˈrɪb | ðə ʤɔɪ̯nts əv ðɛə̯ ˈlɪmz | wə laɪ̯k nɒts ɪn ə ˈrəʊ̯p | iːʧ həd ən aɪ̯ən ˈkɒlər ɒn hɪz nɛk | ənd ɔːl wə kənɛktɪd təˈɡɛðə wɪð ə ˈʧeɪ̯n | huːz ˈbaɪ̯ts swʌŋ bɪˈtwiːn ðəm | rɪðmɪkli ˈklɪŋkɪŋ]

[ə slaɪ̯t ˈklɪŋkɪŋ bɪhaɪ̯nd miː | meɪ̯d mi tɝːn maɪ̯ ˈhɛd ‖ sɪks blæk ˈmɛn ədvænst ɪn ə ˈfaɪ̯l | tɔɪ̯lɪŋ ʌp ðə ˈpæθ ‖ ðeɪ̯ wɔːkt ɪˈrɛkt ənd ˈsloʊ̯ | bælənsɪŋ smɔːl ˈbæskəts | fʊl əv ˈɝːθ ɑːn ðɛr hɛdz | ənd ðə ˈklɪŋk | kɛpt taɪ̯m wɪθ ðɛr ˈfʊtstɛps ‖ blæk ˈræɡz | wɚ waʊ̯nd raʊ̯nd ðɛr ˈlɔɪ̯nz | ənd ðə ʃɔːrt ɛndz bɪˈhaɪ̯nd | wæɡd ˈtuː ənd ˈfroʊ̯ laɪ̯k teɪ̯lz ‖ aɪ̯ kʊd siː ɛvri ˈrɪb | ðə ʤɔɪ̯nts əv ðɛr ˈlɪmz | wɚ laɪ̯k nɑːts ɪn ə ˈroʊ̯p | iːʧ həd ən aɪ̯ɚn ˈkɑːlɚ ɑːn hɪz nɛk | ənd ɔːl wɚ kənɛktɪd təˈɡɛðɚ wɪθ ə ˈʧeɪ̯n | huːz ˈbaɪ̯ts swʌŋ bɪˈtwiːn ðəm | rɪðmɪkli ˈklɪŋkɪŋ]

© Frank Lorenz