# International Phonetic Association

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London-based organisation promoting the study of phonetics

International Phonetic Association Abbreviation IPA Formation 1886; 140 years ago (1886) Founder Paul Passy Type Private company limited by guarantee Purpose Scientific study of phonetics Headquarters 24 Holborn Viaduct, London, England Official language None by law[1] English de facto[2] President Katerina Nicolaidis Key people Daniel Jones Peter Ladefoged Main organ Journal of the International Phonetic Association Website International Phonetic Association

The **International Phonetic Association** (**IPA**; [French](/source/French_language): *Association phonétique internationale* [\[asɔsjɑsjɔ̃ fɔnetik ɛ̃tɛʁnɑsjɔnal\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/French), **API**) is an organization that promotes the scientific study of [phonetics](/source/Phonetics) and the various practical applications of that science. The IPA's major contribution to phonetics is the [International Phonetic Alphabet](/source/International_Phonetic_Alphabet)—a notational standard for the phonetic representation of all languages. The acronym IPA refers to both the association and the alphabet. On 30 June 2015, it was incorporated as a British [private company limited by guarantee](/source/Private_company_limited_by_guarantee).[3][4]

The IPA also oversees the *[Journal of the International Phonetic Association](/source/Journal_of_the_International_Phonetic_Association)*, published by [Cambridge University Press](/source/Cambridge_University_Press), whose articles include descriptions of languages as well as other topics in phonetics. In addition, it arranges for the quadrennial International Congress of Phonetic Sciences (ICPhS)[5] through its affiliate, the Permanent Council for the Organization of ICPhS.

## Early history

In 1886, a small group of language teachers in [Paris](/source/Paris) formed an association to encourage the use of phonetic notation in schools to help children acquire realistic pronunciations of foreign languages and also to aid in teaching reading to young children. The group, led by [Paul Passy](/source/Paul_Passy), called itself initially *Dhi Fonètik Tîtcerz' Asóciécon* (the *FTA*). In January 1889, the name of the Association was changed to *L'Association Phonétique des Professeurs de Langues Vivantes* (*AP*), and, in 1897, to *L'Association Phonétique Internationale* (*API*)—in English, the *International Phonetic Association (IPA).* The IPA's early peak of membership and influence in education circles was around 1914, when there were 1751 members in 40 countries. [World War I](/source/World_War_I) and its aftermath severely disrupted the Association's activities, and the Journal did not resume regular publication until 1922.

## Development of the Alphabet

Main article: [History of the International Phonetic Alphabet](/source/History_of_the_International_Phonetic_Alphabet)

The group's initial aim was to create a set of phonetic symbols to which different articulations could apply, such that each language would have an alphabet particularly suited to describe the sounds of the language. Eventually it was decided that a universal alphabet, with the same symbol being used for the same sound in different languages was the ideal. The first prototype of the [International Phonetic Alphabet](/source/International_Phonetic_Alphabet) appeared in [Phonetic Teachers' Association (1888)](#CITEREFPhonetic_Teachers'_Association1888), and its development progressed rapidly up to the turn of the 20th century. Since then, there have been several sets of changes to the Alphabet, with additions and deletions that the progress of the science of phonetics has indicated.

## Examinations

The IPA also gave examinations in phonetics, starting 1908, awarding Certificates of Proficiency in the phonetics of English, French, or German. In 2023, due to dwindling intake, the examination was formally discontinued.[6]

## See also

- [List of phonetics topics](/source/List_of_phonetics_topics)

- [Language reform](/source/Language_reform)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Statutes and By-Laws of the International Phonetic Association"](https://www.internationalphoneticassociation.org/content/statutes). International Phonetic Association.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** The Journal of the International Phonetic Association is published in English since 1971. ["Journal of the IPA"](https://www.internationalphoneticassociation.org/content/journal-ipa).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [About the Association](http://www.internationalphoneticassociation.org/content/about)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["The International Phonetic Association"](https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/09664370). Companies House.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [IPA: Conferences](http://www.internationalphoneticassociation.org/content/icphs)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["IPA Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in the Phonetics of English | International Phonetic Association"](https://www.internationalphoneticassociation.org/content/ipa-exam). *www.internationalphoneticassociation.org*. Retrieved 2025-09-07.

## Further reading

- International Phonetic Association. (1999). *Handbook of the International Phonetic Association: A guide to the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet*. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

- Phonetic Teachers' Association (1888). "aur rivàizd ælfəbit" [Our revised alphabet]. **3** (7–8): 57–60. [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [44701189](https://www.jstor.org/stable/44701189). {{[cite journal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_journal)}}: Cite journal requires |journal= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#missing_periodical)); Unknown parameter |publication= ignored ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#parameter_ignored))

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.internationalphoneticassociation.org)

v t e International Phonetic Alphabet (chart) IPA topics IPA International Phonetic Association History of the alphabet Extensions for disordered speech (extIPA) Voice Quality Symbols (VoQS) Journal of the IPA (JIPA) Special topics Cursive forms Case variants Obsolete and nonstandard symbols Naming conventions Sinological extensions World Orthography IPA chart for English dialects Encodings ASCII encodings SAMPA X-SAMPA Usenet ASCII-IPA TIPA Phonetic symbols in Unicode IPA number IPA Braille Consonants Pulmonic consonants Place → Labial Coronal Dorsal Laryngeal Manner ↓ Bi­labial Labio­dental Linguo­labial Dental Alveolar Post­alveolar Retro­flex (Alve­olo-)​palatal Velar Uvular Pharyn­geal/epi­glottal Glottal Nasal m̥ m ɱ̊ ɱ n̼ n̪̊ n̪ n̥ n n̠̊ n̠ ɳ̊ ɳ ɲ̊ ɲ ŋ̊ ŋ ɴ̥ ɴ Plosive p b p̪ b̪ t̼ d̼ t̪ d̪ t d ʈ ɖ c ɟ k ɡ q ɢ ʡ ʔ Sibilant affricate t̪s̪ d̪z̪ ts dz t̠ʃ d̠ʒ tʂ dʐ tɕ dʑ Non-sibilant affricate pɸ bβ p̪f b̪v t̪θ d̪ð tɹ̝̊ dɹ̝ t̠ɹ̠̊˔ d̠ɹ̠˔ cç ɟʝ kx ɡɣ qχ ɢʁ ʡʜ ʡʢ ʔh Sibilant fricative s̪ z̪ s z ʃ ʒ ʂ ʐ ɕ ʑ Non-sibilant fricative ɸ β f v θ̼ ð̼ θ ð θ̠ ð̠ ɹ̠̊˔ ɹ̠˔ ɻ̊˔ ɻ˔ ç ʝ x ɣ χ ʁ ħ ʕ h ɦ Approximant β̞ ʋ ð̞ ɹ ɹ̠ ɻ j ɰ ˷ Tap/flap ⱱ̟ ⱱ ɾ̥ ɾ ɽ̊ ɽ ɢ̆ ʡ̮ Trill ʙ̥ ʙ r̥ r r̠ ɽ̊r̥ ɽr ʀ̥ ʀ ʜ ʢ Lateral affricate tɬ dɮ tꞎ d𝼅 c𝼆 ɟʎ̝ k𝼄 ɡʟ̝ Lateral fricative ɬ̪ ɬ ɮ ꞎ 𝼅 𝼆 ʎ̝ 𝼄 ʟ̝ Lateral approximant l̪ l̥ l l̠ ɭ̊ ɭ ʎ̥ ʎ ʟ̥ ʟ ʟ̠ Lateral tap/flap ɺ̥ ɺ 𝼈̊ 𝼈 ʎ̮ ʟ̆ IPA help audio full chart template Symbols to the right in a cell are voiced, to the left are voiceless. Shaded areas denote articulations judged impossible. Non-pulmonic consonants BL LD D A PA RF P V U Implosive Voiced ɓ ɗ ᶑ ʄ ɠ ʛ Voiceless ɓ̥ ɗ̥ ᶑ̊ ʄ̊ ɠ̊ ʛ̥ Ejective Stop pʼ tʼ ʈʼ cʼ kʼ qʼ Affricate p̪fʼ t̪θʼ tsʼ t̠ʃʼ tʂʼ tɕʼ kxʼ qχʼ Fricative ɸʼ fʼ θʼ sʼ ʃʼ ʂʼ ɕʼ xʼ χʼ Lateral affricate tɬʼ c𝼆ʼ k𝼄ʼ q𝼄ʼ Lateral fricative ɬʼ Click (top: velar; bottom: uvular) Tenuis kʘ qʘ kǀ qǀ kǃ qǃ k𝼊 q𝼊 kǂ qǂ Voiced ɡʘ ɢʘ ɡǀ ɢǀ ɡǃ ɢǃ ɡ𝼊 ɢ𝼊 ɡǂ ɢǂ Nasal ŋʘ ɴʘ ŋǀ ɴǀ ŋǃ ɴǃ ŋ𝼊 ɴ𝼊 ŋǂ ɴǂ ʞ Tenuis lateral kǁ qǁ Voiced lateral ɡǁ ɢǁ Nasal lateral ŋǁ ɴǁ IPA help audio full chart template Co-articulated consonants Nasal n͡m Labial–alveolar ɳ͡m Labial–retroflex ŋ͡m Labial–velar Plosive t͡p d͡b Labial–alveolar ʈ͡p ɖ͡b Labial–retroflex k͡p ɡ͡b Labial–velar q͡ʡ Uvular–epiglottal q͡p Labial–uvular Fricative/approximant ɥ̊ ɥ Labialized palatal ʍ w Labialized velar ɧ Sj-sound (variable) Lateral approximant ɫ Velarized alveolar Implosive ɠ̊͜ɓ̥ ɠ͡ɓ Labial–velar Ejective t͡pʼ Labial–alveolar IPA help full chart template Other Voiceless bidental fricative [h̪͆] Voiceless bilabially post-trilled dental stop [t̪ʙ̥] Voiceless upper-pharyngeal plosive [ʡ̟] Voiced upper-pharyngeal plosive [ʡ̟̬] Bilabial percussive [ʬ] Bidental percussive [ʭ] Sublaminal lower-alveolar percussive [¡] Vowels Front Central Back Close i y ɨ ʉ ɯ u Near-close ɪ ʏ ʊ Close-mid e ø ɘ ɵ ɤ o Mid e̞ ø̞ ə ɤ̞ o̞ Open-mid ɛ œ ɜ ɞ ʌ ɔ Near-open æ ɐ Open a ɶ ä ɑ ɒ IPA help audio full chart template Legend: unrounded • rounded

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND National United States France BnF data Czech Republic Israel Academics CiNii Other IdRef Yale LUX

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