Benjamin Franklin Phonetic Alphabet

Benjamin Franklin's phonetic alphabet is referred to extensively in my Dialect Dissection for the Founding Fathers. To make it easier for everyone reading this, I have transcribed all of his writings concerning his phonetic alphabet and compiled them here. This page is therefore meant as a reference both for the Dialect Dissection and for anyone else researching his phonetic alphabet. The original is freely available here at archive.org.

If you find any inconsistencies or errors between the text and the transcriptions here, please contact me.

Letter	Name	IPA	Description	Example
o	o	[o]	the first vowel naturally, and deepest sound; requires only to open the mouth, and breathe through it.	Old
cɩ	cɩ	[ɔ],[ɒ]	the next requiring the mouth opened a little, or hollower	John, folly; awl, ball
a	a	[æ]	the next, a little more.	Man, can
e	e	[ɛ],[e]	The next requires the Tongue to be a little more elevated.	Men, lend, name, lane
i	i	[ɪ],[i]	the next still more.	Did, sin, deed, seen
u	u	([ʊ]),[u]	the next requires the Lips to be gathered up, leaving a small opening.	Tool, fool, rule
ɥ	ɥ	[ʌ],[ə]	The next a very short Vowel, the Sound of which we should express in our present Letters thus, uh; a short, and not very strong Aspiration.	Um, un; as in umbrage, unto, &c., and as in er
h	huh	[h]	a stronger or more forcible aspiration.	Hunter, happy, high
g	gi	[g]	the first CONSONANT; being formed by the Root of the Tongue; this is the present hard g.	Give, gather
k	ki	[g]	a kindred sound; a little more acute; to be used instead of the hard c.	Keep, kick
ի	iի	[ʃ]	A new letter, wanted in our language; our sh, separately taken, not being proper elements of the sound.	(sh) Ship, wish
ŋ	ing	[ŋ]	A new letter, wanted for the same reason; --- These are formed back in the mouth.	(ng) ing, repeating, among
n	en	[n]	formed more forward in the mouth; the Tip of the Tongue to the Roof of the mouth.	End
r	r	[r]	the same; the tip of the tongue a little loose or separate from the roof of the mouth, and vibrating.	Art
t	ti	[t]	the tip of the tongue more forward; touching, and then leaving, the roof.	Teeth
d	di	[d]	the same, touching a little fuller	Deed
l	el	[l]	the same; touching just about the gums of the upper teeth.	Ell, tell
s	es	[s]	This sound is formed, by the breath passing between the moist end of the tongue and the upper teeth.	Essence
z	ez	[z]	the same; a little denser and duller.	(ez) Wages
ⱨ	eⱨ	[θ]	the tongue under, and a little behind, the upper teeth; touching them, but so as to let the breath pass between.	(th) Think
ˇⱨ	eˇⱨ	[ð]	the same; a little fuller.	(dh) Thy
f	ef	[f]	formed by the lower lip against the upper teeth.	Effect
v	ev	[v]	the same; fuller and duller.	Ever
b	b	[b]	the lips full together, and opened as the air passes out.	Bees
p	pi	[p]	the same; but a thinner sound.	Peep
m	em	[m]	the closing of the lips, while the e [here annexed] is sounding.	Ember

In this alphabet c is omitted as unnecessary; k supplying its hard sound, and s the soft; k also supplies well the place of q, and, with an s added, the place of x; q and x are therefore omitted. The vowel u, being sounded as oo, makes the w unnecessary. The y, where used imply, is supplied by i, and where as a diphthong, by two vowels; that letter is therefore omitted as useless. The jod j is also omitted, its sound being supplied by the new letter ի, ish, which serves other purposes, assisting in the formation of other sounds; thus the ի with a d before it gives the sound of the jod j and soft g, as in "James, January, giant, gentle," "dիeems, dիanueri, dիɥiant, dիentel;" with a t before it, it gives the sound of ch, as in "cherry, chip," "tիeri, tիip;" and, with z before it, the French sound of the jod j, as in "jamais," "zիame."

Thus the g has no longer two different sounds, which occasioned confusion, but is, as every letter ought to be, confined to one. The same is to be observed in all the letters, vowels, and consonants, that wherever they are met with, or in whatever company, their sound is always the same. It is also intended, that there be no superfluous letters used in spelling; that is, no letter that is not sounded; and this alphabet, by six new letters, provides, that there be no distinct sounds in the language without letters to express them. As to the difference between short and long vowels, it is naturally expressed by a single vowel where short, a double one where long; as for "mend," write "mend," but for "remain'd," write "remeen'd;" for "did," write "did," but for "deed," write "diid," &c.

What in our common alphabet is supposed the third vowel, i, as we sound it, is as a diphthong, consisting of two of our vowels joined; viz. ɥ as sounded in "into," and i in its true sound. Any one will be sensible of this, who sounds those two vowels ɥ i quick after each other; the sound begins ɥ and ends ii. The true sound of the i is that we now give to e in the words "deed, keep."

cɩ ; ɥ (uh) ; ի (sh, j, zh) ; ⱨ (th) ; ˇⱨ (th); ŋ

Phonetic Alphabet	Modern Transcription	IPA
So huen sɥm Endիel, bɥi divիin kcɩmand,	So when some Angel, by divine command,	so hwɛn sʌm endʒel bʌɪ dɪvʌɪn kɒmænd
Uiⱨ rɥiziŋ tempests իeeks e gilti Land;	With rising tempests shakes a guilty land;	wɪθ rʌɪzɪŋ tɛmpɛsts ʃe:ks e gɪltɪ lænd
(Sɥtի az cɩv leet or peel Britania past,)	(Such as of late o’er pale Britania passed,)	sʌtʃ æz ɔv le:t or pe:l brɪtæniə pæst
Kalm and siriin hi drɥivs ˇⱨi feuriիs blast;	Calm and serene he drives the furious blast;	kælm ænd sɪri:n hi drʌɪvz ði feʊriəs blæst
And, pliiz’d ˇⱨ’ cɩlmɥitis cɩrdɥrs tu pɥrfcɩrm,	And, pleased th’ almighty’s orders to perform,	ænd pli:zd ð ɔlmʌɪtɪz ɔrdʌrz tu pʌrfɔrm
Rɥids in ˇⱨi Huɥrluind and dɥirekts ˇⱨi Stcɩrm.	Rides in the Whirlwind and directs the Storm.	rʌɪdz ɪn ði hwʌrlwɪnd ænd dʌɪrɛkts ði stɔrm

Phonetic Alphabet	Modern Transcription	IPA
So ˇⱨi piur limpid striim, huen fcɩul uiⱨ steens	So the pure limpid stream, when foul with stains	so ði pjʊr lɪmpɪd stri:m hwɛn fɔʊl wɪθ ste:nz
cɩv rɥիiŋ Tcɩrents and disendiŋ Reens,	of rushing torrents and descending rains,	ɔv rʌʃɪŋ tɔrɛnts ænd dɪsɛndɪŋ re:nz
Uɥrks itself kliir; and as it rɥns rifɥins;	Works itself clear, and as it runs, refines;	wʌrks ɪtsɛlf kli:r ænd æz ɪt rʌnz rɪfʌɪnz
Til bɥi digriis, ˇⱨe flotiŋ mirɥr իɥins,	Till, by degrees, the floating mirror shines,	tɪl bʌɪ dɪgri:z ðe flotɪŋ mɪrʌr ʃʌɪnz
Riflekts iitի flcɩur ˇⱨat cɩn its bcɩrdɥr groz,	Reflects each flower that on its border grows,	rɪflɛkts i:tʃ flɔʊr ðæt ɔn ɪts bɔrdʌr groz
And e nu hev’n in its feer Bɥzɥm իoz.	And a new heaven in its fair bosom shows.	ænd e nu hevn ɪn ɪts fe:r bʌzʌm ʃoz

Phonetic Alphabet	Modern Transcription	IPA
Kensiŋtɥn, Septembɥr 26, 1768. Diir Sɥr, ɥi hav transkrɥib’d iur alfabet, &c. huitի mɥit bi cɩv sɥrvis tu ˇⱨoz, hu uiի ta akuɥir an akiuret pronɥnsieիɥn, if ˇⱨat kuld bi fixs’d; bɥt ɥi si meni inkcɩnviiniensis, as uel az difikɥltis, ˇⱨat uuld atend ˇⱨi briŋiŋ iur letɥrs and cɩrⱨcɩgrafi intu kcɩmɥn ius.	Kensington, September 26, 1768 Dear Sir, I have transcribed your alphabet, etc. which might be of service to those who wish ta acquire an accurate pronunciation, if that kuld be fixed; but I see many inconveniences, as well as difficulties that would attend the bringing your letters and orthography into common use.	kɛnsɪŋtʌn, sɛptɛmbər di:r sʌr, ʌɪ hæv trænskrʌɪbd jʊr ælfəbɛt hwɪtʃ mʌit bi ɔv sʌrvɪs tu ðoz hu wɪʃ tə əkwʌir æn ækjʊret pronʌnsieʃən ɪf ðæt kʊld bi fikst bʌt ʌɪ si mɛnɪ ɪnkʌnviniɛnsɪz æz wɛl æz dɪfɪkʌltɪz ðæt wʊld ətɛnd ði brɪŋɪŋ jʊr lɛtʌrz ænd ɔrθɒgrəfɪz ɪntu kɒmən jus
- cɩcɩl cɩur etimcɩlodիiz uuld be lcɩst, kcɩnsikuentli ui kuld ncɩt asɥrteen ˇⱨi miiniŋ cɩv meni uɥrds; ˇⱨi distinkիɥn, tu, bituiin uɥrds cɩv difɥrent miiniŋ and similar scɩund uuld bi iusles, ɥnles wi liviŋ rɥiters pɥbliի nu iidiիɥns.	- All our etymologies would be lost, consequently we could not ascertain the meaning of many words; the distinction, too, between words of different meaning and similar sound would be useless, unless we living writer publish new editions.	ɔ:l ɔʊr ɛtɪmɒlodʒɪz wʊld bɪ lɒst kɒnsɪkwɛntlɪ wi kʊld nɒt æsʌrte:n ði mi:nɪŋ ɔv mɛnɪ wʌrdz ði dɪstɪnkʃən tu bɪtwi:n wʌrdz ɔv dɪfʌrɛnt mi:nɪŋ ænd sɪmɪlər sɔʊnd wʊld bi juslɛs ʌnlɛs wi lɪvɪŋ rʌɪtərs pʌblɪʃ nu i:dɪʃʌnz
> In իcɩrt ɥi biliiv ui mɥst let piipil spel cɩn in ˇⱨeer old ue, and (as ui fɥind it iisiiest) du ˇⱨi seem cɩurselves.	> In short I believe we must let people spell on in their old way, and (as we find it easiest) do the same ourselves.	ɪn ʃɔrt ʌi bɪli:v wi mʌst lɛt pi:pɪl spɛl ɔn ɪn ðe:r o;d we ænd æz wi fvɪnd ɪt i:zi:ɛst du ðise:m ɔʊrsɛlvz

* Chinese

Phonetic Alphabet	Modern Transcription	IPA
Diir Madam, ˇⱨi cɩbdիekիɥn iu meek to rektifɥiiŋ cɩur alfabet, “ˇⱨat it uil bi atended uiⱨ inkcɩnviniensiz and difikɥltiz,” iz e natural uɥn; fcɩr it cɩluaz cɩkɥrz huen eni refcɩrmeիɥn iz propozed; hueɥr in rilidիɥn, gɥvernment, lcɩz, and iven dcɩun az lo az rods and huil karidիiz. - ⱨi tru kuestիɥn ˇⱨen, is ncɩt hueˇⱨɥr ˇⱨaer uil bi no difikɥltiz cɩr inkcɩnviniensiz; bɥt hueˇⱨer ˇⱨi difikɥltiz mê ncɩt bi sɥrmcɩunted; and hueˇⱨɥr ˇⱨi inkcɩnviniensiz uil ncɩt, cɩn ˇⱨi huol, bi grêtɥr ˇⱨan ˇⱨi inkcɩnviniensiz. Inˇⱨis kes, ˇⱨi difikɥltiz er onli in ˇⱨi biginiŋ cɩv ˇⱨii praktis : huen ˇⱨê er uɥns ovɥrkɥm, ˇⱨi advantedիez er lastiŋ.-	Dear Madam, the objection you make to rectifying our alphabet, "that it will be attended with inconveniences and difficulties,"is a natural one; for it always occurs when reformation is proposed; whether in religion, government, laws, and even down as low as roads and wheel carriages. - the tru question then, is not whether there will be no difficulties or inconveniences; but whether the difficulties may not be surmounted; and whether the inconveniences will not, on the whole, be greater than the inconveniences. In this case, the difficulties are only in the beginning of the practice: when they are once overcome, the advantages are lasting.	dir mædəm ðɪ ɒbdʒɛkʃən ju mek to rɛktɪfʌɪjɪŋ ɔʊr ælfəbɛt, ðæt ɪt wɪl bi atɛndɪd wɪθ
To ɥiˇⱨɥr iu cɩr mi, hu spel uel in ˇⱨi prezent mod, ɥi imadիin ˇⱨi difikɥlti cɩv tիendիiŋ ˇⱨat mod fcɩr ˇⱨi nu, iz ncɩt so grêt, bɥt ˇⱨat ui mɥit pɥrfektli git ovɥr it in a uiiks rɥitiŋ. - Az to ˇⱨoz hu do ncɩt spel uel, if ˇⱨi tu difikɥltiz er kɥmpêrd, viz. ˇⱨat cɩv titիiŋ ˇⱨem tru speliŋ in ˇⱨi prezent mod, and ˇⱨat cɩv titիiŋ ˇⱨem ˇⱨi nu alfabet and ˇⱨi nu speliŋ akcɩrdiŋ to it, ɥi am kcɩnfident ˇⱨat ˇⱨi latɥr uuld bi bɥi far ˇⱨi liist. ˇⱨê natɥrali fcɩl into ˇⱨi nu meⱨɥd alreadi, az mɥtի az ˇⱨi imperfekիɥn cɩv ˇⱨêr alfabet uil admit cɩv; ˇⱨêr prezent bad speliŋ iz onli bad, bikcɩz kcɩntreri to ˇⱨi prezent bad ruls; ɥndɥr ˇⱨi nu ruls it uuld bi gud. - ˇⱨi difikɥlti cɩv lɥrniŋ to spel uel in ˇⱨi old uê iz so grêt, ˇⱨat fiu atên it; ⱨcɩuzands and ⱨcɩuzands rɥitiŋ cɩn to old edի, uiˇⱨcɩut ever biiŋ ebil to akuɥir it. ‘T iz, bisɥidz, e difikɥlti kcɩntinuali inkriisiŋ; and to fcɩrenɥrs* it mêks ˇⱨi lɥrniŋ to proncɩuns cɩur laŋuedի, az riten in cɩr buks, almost impcɩsibil.	To either you or me, who spell well in the present mode, I imagine the difficulty of changing that mode for the new, is not so great, but that I might perfectly get over it in a weeks' writing. - As to those who do not spell well, if the two difficulties are compared, viz. that of teaching them true spelling in the present mode, and that of teaching them the new alphabet and the new spelling according to it, I am confident that the latter would be by far the least. They naturally fall into the new method already, as much as the imperfection of their alphabet will admit of; their present bad spelling is only bad, because contrary to the present bad rules; under the new rules rules it would be good. - The difficulty of learning to spell well in the old way is so great, that few attain it; thousands and thousands writing on to old age, without ever being able to acquire it. 'Tis, besides, a difficulty continually increasing; and to foreigners it makes the learning to pronounce our language, as written in our books, almost impossible.
Ncɩu az to “ˇⱨi inkcɩnviniensiz” iu menիɥn. - ˇⱨi fɥrst iz, ˇⱨat “cɩcɩl cɩur etimcɩlodիiz uuld bi lcɩst, kcɩnsekuentli ui kuld ncɩt asɥrteen ˇⱨi miiniŋ cɩv meni uɥrds.” – Etimolodիiz er at prezeent veri ɥnsɥrteen; bɥt sɥtի az ˇⱨê er, ˇⱨi old buks uuld stil prizɥrv ˇⱨem, and etimolodիists uuld ˇⱨêr fɥind ˇⱨem. Uɥrds in ˇⱨi kors cɩv tɥim, tիendի ˇⱨer miiniŋs,az uel az ˇⱨer speliŋ and pronɥnsieիɥn; and ui du ncɩt luk to fcɩr ˇⱨer prezent miiniŋs. If ɥi իuld kcɩl e man e neev and e vilen, hi uuld hardli bi satisfɥid uiˇⱨ mɥi teliŋ him, ˇⱨat uɥn cɩv ˇⱨi uɥrds oridիinali signifɥid onli e lad cɩr sɥrvant; and ˇⱨi ɥˇⱨɥr, an ɥndɥr plcɩuman, cɩr ˇⱨi inhabitant cɩv e viledի. It iz frcɩm prezent iusedի onli, ˇⱨi miining cɩv uɥrds iz to bi ditɥrmined.	Now as to "the inconveniences" you mention. - The first is, that "all our etymologies would be lost, consequently we could not ascertain the meaning of many words." - Etymologies are at present very uncertain; but such as they are, the old books would still preserve them, and etymologists would their find them. Words in the course of time, change their meanings, as well as their spelling and pronounciation; and I do not look to for their present meanings. If I should call a man a knave and a villain, he would hardly be satisfied with my telling him, that one of the words originally signified only a lad or servant; and the other, an under ploughman, or the inhabitant of a village. It is from present usage only, the meaning of words to be determined.
Iur sekɥnd inkcɩnviniens iz, ˇⱨat “ˇⱨi distinkիɥn bituiin uɥrds cɩv difurent miiniŋ and similar scɩund uuld bi distrcɩɥid.”- ˇⱨat distinkիɥn iz cɩlreadi distrcɩɥid in proncɩunsiŋ ˇⱨem; and ui rilɥi cɩn ˇⱨi sens alon cɩv ˇⱨi sentens to asɥrteen, huitի cɩv ˇⱨi several uɥrds, similar in scɩund,ui intend. if ˇⱨis iz sufiիent in ˇⱨi rapiditi cɩv diskors, it uil bi mutի mor so in riten sentenses, uhitի mê bi red lezիurli, and atended to mor partikularli in kes cɩv difikɥlti, ˇⱨan ui kan atend to e past sentens, huɥil e spikɥr iz hɥrɥiiŋ ɥs alŋŋ uiˇⱨ nu uɥns.	Your second inconvenience is, that "the distinction between words of different meaning and similar sound would be destroyed." - that distinction is already destroyed in pronouncing them; and I rely on the sense alone of the sentence to ascertain, which of the several words, similar in sound, I I intend. If this is sufficient in the rapidity of discourse, it will be much more so in written sentences, which may be read leisurely, and attended to more particlarly in case of difficulty, than I can attend to a past sentence, while a speaker is hurrying us along new ones.
Iur ⱨɥrd inkcɩnviniens iz, ˇⱨat “cɩcɩl ˇⱨi buks alredi riten uuld bi iusles.”-ˇⱨis inkcɩnviniens uuld onli kɥm cɩn graduali, in e kors cɩv edիes. Iu and ɥi, and ɥˇⱨɥr ncɩu liviŋ ridɥrs, uuld hardli fcɩrget ˇⱨi ius cɩv ˇⱨem. Piipil uuld loŋ lɥrn to riid ˇⱨi old rɥitiŋ, ˇⱨo ˇⱨê praktist ˇⱨi nu. - And ˇⱨi inkcɩnviniens iz ncɩt greter, ˇⱨan huat hes aktuali hapend in a similar kes, in Iteli. Fcɩrmerli its inhabitants cɩcɩl spok and rot Latin; az ˇⱨi laŋuedի tիendիd, ˇⱨi speling fcɩlo’d it. It iz tru ˇⱨat, at prezent, e miir ɥnlern’d Italien kancɩt riid ˇⱨi Latin buks; ˇⱨo ˇⱨê er stil red and ɥndɥrstud bɥi meni. Bɥt, if ˇⱨi speliŋ had nevɥr bin tիendիed, hi uuld ncɩu hev fcɩund it mɥtի mor difikult to riid and rɥit hiz on laŋuedի; fcɩr riten uɥrds uuld hev had no rilêիɥn to scɩunds, ˇⱨê uuld onli hev stud fcɩr ⱨiŋs; so ˇⱨat if hi uuld ekspres in rɥitiŋ ˇⱨi ɥidia hi hez, huen hi scɩunds ˇⱨi uɥrd Vescovo, hi mɥst iuz ˇⱨi letterz Episcopus. - In իcɩrt, hwatever ˇⱨi difikɥltiz and inkcɩnveniensiz ncɩu er, ˇⱨê uil bi mor iizili sɥrmcɩunted ncɩu, ˇⱨan hiraftɥr; and sɥm tɥim cɩr ɥˇⱨɥr, it mɥst bi dɥn; cɩr cɩur uil bikɥm ˇⱨi sêm uiˇⱨ ˇⱨi Tիɥiniiz, az to ˇⱨi difikɥlti cɩv lɥrniŋ and iuziŋ it. And it uuld alredi hev bi sɥtի, if ɥi had kcɩntinud ˇⱨi Saksɥn speliŋ and rɥitiŋ, iuzed bɥi our forfaˇⱨers. ɥi am, mɥi diir frind, iurs afekիɥnetli, B Franklin. Lɥndɥn, Kreven-striit, Sept. 28, 1768	Your third inconvenience is, that "all the books already written would be useless." - This inconvenience would only come on gradually, in a course of ages. You and I, and other now living readers, would hardly forget the use of them. People would long learn to read the old writing, tho they practiced the new. - And the inconvenience is not greater, than that has actually happened in a similar case, in Italy. Formerly its inhabitants all spoke and wrote Latin; as the language changed, the spelling followed it. It is true that, at present, a mere unlearn'd Italian cannot read the Latin books; tho they are still read and understood by many. But, if the spelling had never been changed, hi would now have found it much more difficult to read and write his own language; for written words would have had no relation to sounds, they would only have stood for things; so that if he would express in writing the idea he has, hen hi sounds the word Vescovo, he must use the letters Episcopus. - In short, whatever the difficulties and inconveniences now are, they will be more easily surmounted now, than hereafter; and some time or other, it must be done; or our will become the same with the Chinese, as to the difficulty of learning and using it. And it would already have be such, if I had continued the Saxon spelling and writing, used by our forefathers. I am, my dear friend, yours affectionately, B. Franklin. London, Craven Street, Sept. 28, 1768