WO1985003373A1

WO1985003373A1 - Pronunciation-showing type faces

Info

Publication number: WO1985003373A1
Application number: PCT/EP1984/000020
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ai-Wen Chen; Jing-Zi Zhou
Original assignee: Chen, Hsu-Sen; Chen, Shang-Nong; Chen, Wei-Lie; Chen, Zhu-He; Hua, Yan-Qing; Peng, Ling-Fan; Pan, De-Fu; Chen, Shao-Xue; Chen, Jie
Priority date: 1984-01-30
Filing date: 1984-01-30
Publication date: 1985-08-01
Also published as: EP0169834A1

Abstract

Technical field: The application of linguistics to printing and publishing. Thechnical features: Chinese characters cannot show pronunciation; English cannot show pronunciation exactly. To know their pronunciation, we have to depend on phonetic symbols or phonetic letters (for Chinese, there are Chinese phonetic letters, both old and new; for English, there are many sets of symbols, of which the international phonetic symbols and Webster's are the most widely used). But these symbols or letters can only be used in dictionaires, not practical for textbooks or readers of any kind. Some Chinese publications have phonetic letters printed between lines, thus causing much trouble both to printing and reading, and so have failed to be widely accepted. The present Pronunciation-Showing Type Faces allow both Chinese characters and English words with self-pronunciation, characterized as follows: For Chinese characters, a set of stroke letters have been designed to represent the initial consonant, the "yunmu" and the tone; these stroke letters are set in Chinese characters so as to indicate their pronunciations. For English, a set of diacritics have been designed. The method of employing these diacritics is given below: The pronunciations of all letters and letter-combinations are classified into several categories; each category is provided with only one diacritic. A separate diacritic does not represent any particular sound. Only when it is placed above a particular letter can a particular sound be indicated. Uses: The invented type faces may be used to publish and print Chinese and English textbooks and readers of all kinds, which will facilitate a fine command of the pronunciation of the two languages and the memorizing of new words of English as well.

Description

PRONUNCIATION-SHOWING TYPE FACES

The gap between pronunciation and the writing system is a. problem common to all languages, especially to Chinese and English. Chinese characters are not phonetic by origin. English, though using a basically phonetic alphabet, is nevertheless incapable of showing pronunciation accurately. To learn writing systems of such languages, phonetic transcriptions are indispensable. Transcriptions can only be applied in dictionaries, they are practical far readers of any kind. For example, some Chinese text-books have transcriptions interlined, thus causing a lot of inconvenience in the process of printing and reading. By the end of the 19th century, a number of Chinese scholars had already made initial efforts towards the reform of the traditional Chinese writing system and the popularization of new ones. During the last 30 years or so, the reform has been firmly supported throughout by the government. However, even now, it can not progress substantially. The distinguished British writer, Bernard Shaw, advocated energetically the replacement of the existing English writing system by a new alphabet and new ways of spelling. He even dedicated part of his legacy to the English writing-system reform. But so far, very little progress, if any, has been made. The experience of all the writing-system reforms carried out whether in China , or in other countries, shows that it is almost impassible far big, culturallydevelopped countries to adopt a new writing system by wholly abolishing the traditional one, because such a change would inevitably impose a change on the habits of millions of people farmed through long years. This does not mean, however, that no change at all is admitted. There are two forms of letters, the handwritten and the printed. It is quite passible ta make appropriate alterations in the printed farm. Lots af different printed farms have been in vented, but they were made for aesthetic reasons only. Ours serve a different purpose. They are intended to show pronunciation, and are named "pronunciation-showing type faces". I. ENGLISH PRONONCIATION-SHOWING TYPE FACES

Draft I The Method of Showing Pronunciation with Classifying Diacritics

1. This invented system of diacritics allows a selfpronunciation for all the English words by using a minimum number of marks. Our principal method consists of the following steps: / dividing a ward into vowel segment and consonant segment ;

/ classifying the pronunciations of all vowel segments, each category is provided with one diacritic. A diacritic is employed to represent, instead of an individual sound, a category of sounds. Only when it is placed above a particular letter can a particular sound be demonstrated. Therefore, the present set of diacritics is designated classifying diacritic.

Definition of a vowel segment: in a ward, several vowel letters connected to each other form a vowel segment(e.g.in the wards "look", "triangle", "bawl", "out' and "are", the connecting vowel letters "oo", "ia", "ow", "ou" and "are" are all vowel segments.) A single vowel letter can also farm a vowel segment, (e.g. in the weirds "a", "but", "bed" and "pig", the single vowels "a", "u", "e", "i" are considered to be vowel segments as well.) All the six vowel letters "a", "e" , "i", "y", "o", "u", and the two non-independent vowel^* letters "w" and "r" ("y", "w" and "r" function as consonants, too.) are passible members af a vowel segment.

A vowel segment of only one letter is called, a single-vowel letter; a vowel segment of two or more letters is called vowel letter-combination.

2. The pronunciations of single-vowel letters are divided into seven categories. As fo r the pronunciaitons ofvowel letter-combinations, there are the following three cases: 1/ a letter-combinatiin sounded by a single vowel, e.g. "or" is a letter combination sounded by the single vowel [ɔ:].

2/ a letter combination sounded by a complex vowel, which is the pronunciation of only one of its constituent members, e.g. "oa", sounded by [əʊ], [∂ʊ] is the pronunciation of the single letter "o",one of the constituent members of the combination "oa", the other member "a" consideded silent.

3/ a letter-combination sounded by a complex vowel, which is the joint pronunciation of all the constituent members of the combination, e.g. "oi" sounded by [ƆI], [ƆI] is the joint pronunciation of "o" and "i", "o" considered to be read [Ɔ] and "i" [ι] .

The pronunciations of letter-combinations in the first and second cases are classified in the same way as those of single-vowel letters, and so they ars grouped into the same tables as given below:

Table 1 -- ( 1 ) :

Explanatory Notes to Table 1:

(1) The pronunciation of a vowel segment may be either a strong vowel or a weak vowel. weak vowels are generally not indicated by any diacritic except a few sp ecial ones. (2) "~r": including letter-combinations sounded by [∂] , such as "er" "ar", "ir", "or", "ur", "our", etc

They are classified not in Table 1, but in Table 6 together with the letter-combfnations pronounced as weak complex vowels. 3. Vowel letters, when in a very small number of words, having such an unusual pronunciation that they cannot be classified in Table 1 are crowned by a special diacritic: (Instead of indicating any particular sound, this diacritic is employed to call attention to the fact that the so marked letter has an irregular pronunciation.) For example, a[e] : ány[ènι], mány[ḿenι], sàid[sed]

□ [ʊ] : wóman[ẁʊm∂n], wólf [wulf]

[I] : wómen[ẁImI n] : óne [w ^ n] u[e] : bùry [ber I ] : bùsy [ bI Z I ]

4. In a word of more than one syllable, a vowel letter carrying no diacritic is pronounced as a weak vowel. As each letter has two passible weak vowels, in order to distinguish one from the other , relevant rules as given below are to be employed: / the weak vowels of "a": [ə], [ι] The principal one is [ə], e.g. "alone" [ə'ləʊn] . [ι] exists only in ths suffix "-age", e.g. village [vilid ].

/ the weak vowels of "e": [ə],[ι]

With a strong vowel after it,"e" is pronounced [I ] , e.g. decide[di'said]; with a strong vowel before it, "a" is pronounced [ə] , e.g. student [stju : dənt]; existing between two strong vowels, "e" is pronounced [ə], e.g. bènefàctor['benə,fжkt] .

/ the weak vowels of "i": [ι] , [ə]

A weak "i" is generally pronounced [ι], e.g. dischárge [dιs'tʃa:dƷ]. "I" has [ə] as its weak vowel when in the suffixes -ible and -ibly, e.g. crèdible c'kredəbl] / the weak vowels of "y": [I], [ə]

The principal one is [I], e.g. systemic [sιśtemιk]. In some words, it may be pronounced [ə] as well, e.g. mèthyl['meθəl] .

/ the weak vowels of "o": [ə], [əʊ]

[ə] is its principal weak vowel, e.g. second['sekənd]. "o" has [əʊ] as its weak vowel when at the end of a word or in the suffix "-most", e.g. auto['ə: təʊ] , ùtmost ['ʌtməʊst].

/ the weak vowels of "u": [ə],[jʊ] (and [ʊ]—the variant of [jʊ]). The weak vowel of "u" in most cases is [ə], e.g; support [səpo:t]. "u" is read [jʊ] when found in an open syllable either just before or after the stress. For example, òccupý[okjʊpaι]. ("u" comes immediately after the stress); regulation [ regju'leιʃən] ("u" goes just before the stress). If the weak "u" pronounced [jʊ] in the situation said above is preceded by such consonants as [tʃ], [dƷ], or [r] , this [jʊ] will naturally become [ʊ], e.g. congràtulátion [kəngrætʃʊleιʃən] cònjugal ['kbndƷʊgəl] , instrument ['ιnstrumənt] .

In teaching materials where the above-said reading rules are not employed, the secondary weak vowel of a letter is demonstrated by a diacritic while the principal one is left unmarked.

5. Characteristic pronunciations of American English are illustrated in the following table, (except the pronunciations of "e" and "i", because all of them are the same as those in British English.) Table 2:

Explanatory Notes to Table 2:

(1) A weak "u" is generally pronounced [ə]. When in an open syllable just before or after the stress, a weak

"u" has the pronunciation of [jə]; and this [ j ə] is sounded by [ə] if preceded by such consonants as [r] , [tʃ] , [dƷ] , [s] .

(2) A weak "y" is generally pronounced [ι]. Only when at the end of a word is it pronounced [i : ] .

(3) "~r", when pronounced [3r], may also be crowned with the diacritic

so as to achieve as much similarity as possible between the employment af diacritics for American pronunciation and that for British pronunciation. ( 4 ) The diacritic mark

can be omitted and replaced by

whenever necessary.

"a", whether pronounced [ɔ:] or [ɔ] , is crowned with the same diacritic ā . "o", sounded either by [ɔ:] or by [ɔ] is marked the same: ō . "ā" or "ō" can thus be read both [Ɔ:] and [ɔ]. The rules to distinguish between "a", "o" [ɔ:] and "a", "o" [ɔ] are given below: a/ Single-vowel letters "ā" and "ō" are pronounced [ɔ] , e.g. dog [dɔg] , war c wɔr] . But when followed by the consonant "1", whether sounded or silent, "ā" has only one possible pronunciation, that is [ɔ:], e.g. sālt [sɔ:lt], tālk [tɔ:k] . b/ The "ā" or "ō" in a letter-combination terminated by "r" is pronounced [ɔ], e.g. board c bɔrd] . The "ā" or "ō" in a letter-combination without an ending "r" is pronounced [Ɔ:], e.g. lāw [lɔ:] , bōught [ bɔ:t] .

6. A letter-combination sounded as more than one vowel, all the constituent members being pronounced, is called a compound vowel", e.g. "oi"[cι] , "ia"[ιæ] . In a small number of compound vowels, instead of all the letters, same, at least two, of them are pronounced, e.g. prayer['preə], the "y" is silent. 7. Compound vowels may be divided into strong compound vowels and weak compound vowels, [ιə], [ʊə], [jʊə] , [əʊ] [əʊə] , [ιι] , [ιəƱ] are seven weak ones. A weak compound vowel is unmarked except for the case of [ιι]. A weak compound vowel, when bearing word stress in some cases, may be regarded as a strong compound vowel, e.g. "ia" pronounced [ιə] is generally a weak compound vowel, but in the ward "pianist" ['p ιənəst] , "ia" [ιə] is a strong compound vowel.

8. There are two types of compound vowels: complex vowels and successive vowels. Each compound vowel consists of two parts: the front and the back. A compound vowel with a weak vowel as its back part is narπed complex vowel. A compound vowel with a strong vowel as its back part is called successive vowel. "ew" sounded by [ju:] is included in complex vowels as well. A complex vowel is generally indicated by a diacritic above the front part while a successive vowel is shown by a diacritic above the back part.

Following are diacritics to be employed to demonstrate compound vowels: (

represents the two parts of a compound vowel.)"

indicates a diphthong (complex vowel), e.g. tour

[ιʊə] ;

indicates a triphthong (complex vowel), e.g. gõer ['ɘəʊə] ;

indicates a loose complex, vowel ( i.e. a complex vowel with a long vowel as its front part and a weak vowel as its back part), e.g. dõer ['du:ə].

indicates a successive vowel of two sounds, e.g. piâno c pi'ænəʊ] . indicates a "2-1" successive vowel ( i.e. a suc

cessive vowel of three sounds with a diphthong as the front part and a single vowel as the back part) e.g. diãmeter[daι'æmι[ə].

indicates a "1-2" successive vowel ( i.e. a successive vowel of three sounds with a single vowel as the front part and a diphthong as its back part) e. g. initiãte [ι'nιʃιeιt].

9. The pronunciations of complex vowels and their diacritics are listed in the table below: Table 3:

d

Explanatory Notes to Table 3:

Such letter-combinations as "ere", "ear", and "eir" can be read in two ways, either [ιə] or [eə] , e.g. mere [mιə] , there [

eə] ; tear [tιə] , tear [teə] ; weird [wιəd], their [

eə] . [ιə] is considered a regular pronunciation, shown by a diacritic above "e", whereas [eə], taken as a special form, indicated by a diacritic above "r", e.g. theȓe [ eə], tearȓ [teə] , theiȓ [ eə].

Table 4:

Explanatory Notes to Table 4 :

(1) "Ow" is pronounced either [aʊ] or [əʊ] . "ow" [aʊ], considered regular, is marked as ôw, the diacritic being placed above "o"; while ow [əʊ] , taken as a special form, has the diacritic above "w" :oŵ.

Triphthongs are demonstrated likewise. Take õwer [ aʊ ə ] for example, the diacritic is placed over "o". while "ower" [əʊə] is crowned with the diacritic above "w".

(2) "ew" may be pronounced in two ways: [ju:] or [əʊ]. "ew" [ju:] is crownedwith a loan mark: Q (the diacritic for the complex vowel of single letter), with the diacritic above "w" : eώ [ju:] . As a triphthoung, "ewer" [ju: ə] has "w" capped with □ the mark for a loose complex vowel : ewer [ju:ə] . "ew" [əʊ] is marked the same way as "oŵ" [əʊ] : eŵ[əʊ] .

"em" [ju:] changes into [u:] when preceded by such consonants as [r], [l] , [dƷ] and [tʃ], for the difficult utterance of sounds like [rju:] , [lju:] , [dƷju:] and [tʃju:] has inevitably resulted in the loss of the consonant [j] . This"eώ"[u:] is the variant of "eώ" [ ju:] .

10. We can ascertain the pronunciation of every complex vowel by its diacritic and constituent letters. The pronunciations of complex vowel are listed in the following table.

Table 5:

Explanatory Notes to Table 5: (1)

represents the front part and the back part of a complex vowel.

:the dotted line indicates that its front part is further divided into a front part and a back part. For example, represents such

complex vowels as "ower" [aʊə] , "owe" [aʊə] , ower [əʊə]

(2)The letter "r" can form the back part of a complex vowel singly or with other vowel letters before or after it. In the second case, "r" is the representative letter.

(3) [ju:] changes into [u:] when preceded by such consonants as [r] , [ l ] , [tʃ] and. [d Ʒ]. [u:] is the variant of [ju:] .

11. The pronunciations of successive vowels and their diacritics are given below:

Table 6:

12. The determination of the pronunciation of a successive vowel depends thus an the knawledge of the pronunciation of every one of its constituent letters. As is known, every vowel letter has a pair of pronunciations: a single vowel and a diphthong .

As is pointed. out, a single vowel, as the pronunciation of the front part, must be in its weak form while , as the pronunciation of the back part , must be in its strong farm. So a single vowel has a pair of forms: weak and strong.

Single vowels and their corresponding diphthongs , weak vowels and their corresponding strong vowels are arranged in pairs in the following table:

Explanatory Note to Table 7 :

( 1) "e " has the long vαwel [i : ] in the place of a diphthong .

Table 7 is the k ey to thε determination of th e pronuncia tion of every letter in a successive vowel. For example: / èxeûnt: "eû" is a successive vowel of two sounds, both "e" and "u" are sounded by a single vowel. "e",as the front part, has the weak single vowel [ι] as its pronunciation; the back part "u" is sounded by the strong single vowel [ʌ] . "eû" is thus pronounced [ιʌ], the whole word is read [èksιʌnt].

/ stàtuêtte: "uê" is a successive vowel of two sounds, both "u" and "e" are pronounced by a single vowel. The front part "u" is read by the weak single vowel [ʊ]; and the back part ''e" by the strong single vowel [ e ] . "uê" is thus read by [ʊe] and the whole word by [stæt ʃʊèt]. / duet: "ũe" is "2-1"successive vowel, its front part "u" is pronounced by the diphthong [ju:] and the back "e" by the strong single vowel [e]. "ue" is read [ju:e] and the whole word [dju:èt] .

/ situation: "uã"is a "1-2" successive vowel, its front part "u" is read by the single weak vowel [ʊ] and its back part "a" by the diphthong [eι] . "ua" is sounded [ʊeι] and the whole word [sιtʃʊèιʃən] .

13. Letter combinations may be sounded by the following three different types of weak vowels: weak single vowels;weak complex vowels and weak successive vowels. Weak single vowels and weak complex vowels are not indicated by any diacritic, they are listed in the following table.

Table 8—(1):

Explanatory Notes to Table 8.

(1) "ie" is pronounced [[ə] or [ ə] when followed by a consonant. "ie " has the sound of [ι] if it terminates a word. For example, doggie [ 'dagι].

14. No diacritic is to be employed to indicate the pronunciations of letter-combinations listed in Table 8. They can be ascertained by the latters respective spelling features. The essential way of differenciating these pronunciations is illustrated as follows: 1/ With " r" or " r " as the back part, the whole letter-combination is sounded by [ə].

2/ With "i" or "y" as its back part, the whole lettercombination is read [ι]. 3/ The letter-combinations "oa" and "ou" are read [ə]. 4/ The letter-combination "oo" is pronounced [ʊ], "ee" is read [ι].

5/ The front part being "e" or "i", the whole lettercombination is sounded by [ιə], and by [ə] when preceded by a weak consonant. 6/ The front part being "u", the whole letter-combination is read [jʊə]. Preceded by a weak consonant, this

[jʊə] will change into [ʊə].

7/ With "w" or "u" as the back part, the whole lettercombination is pronounced [əʊ].

15. A weak successive vowel is indicated by a double diacritic for Weak Vowel Ⅱ :

In the following table are listed. all the weak successive vowels.

16. How word stress is demonstrated:

The diacritic for word stress is a dot. In printed form, the dot is connected to the vowel diacritic and the whole thin is re resented in a heavier t pe face.

Weak vowels are usually unmarked, except when they function as a stress. For example, pretty ['prιtι], English ['ιnglιʃ]. The diacritic D indicates how the vowel is pronounced and where the stress falls as well. That is why a weak vowel which occupies the position of stress needs only the weak vowel diacritic, requiring no diacritic for ward stress.

A monosyllabic word needs no stress diacritic either, because the single syllable naturally takes the stress. A word of more than one syllable containing only one strong vowel requires no more than one diacritic— a vowel diacritic , which shows both the pronunciation of the vowel and the position of word stress. For example, conseŕvatism [ kən's3 : vət[ zəm]

The stress diacritic is employed when a poly-strong-vowel word (i.e. a word with two or more strong vowels) is involved, e.g. minute [maaιnju : t].

17. In case of a regularly-stressed poly-strong-vowel word, stress diacritic can be omitted.The following are rules governing word stress in poly-strong-vowel words: Among the several strong vowels in ths same word,

/ the strong vowel that exists in the second-syllable from the end takes the stress;

/ the strong vowel that exists in the third syllable from the end takes the stress; / the stress falls on the last but one syllable, if the second syllable from the end and the third syllable from the and both contain a strong vowel;

/ if the second syllabls from the end and the fourth syllable from the end both contain a strong vowel, the stress falls generally on the second syllable from the end ; but if the last syllable is a"...r..." letter-combunation sounded as a weak vσwel, the stress falls on the fourth syllable from the end ;

/ such suffixes that are listed below must be stresssd: -ee[i:], -een[i:n], -teen [ti :n],-eer [ι ə], -oon[u:n]. In case of a poly-strong-vowel word that cannot be classified in any ofthetypes of words mentioned above, the diacritic for stress cannot be omitted.

18. Diacritics for consonants:

/ variation diacritics: sonorization diacritic — weakening diacritic —

/ non-variation diacritic:

In teaching materials for students in their primary stages where relevant reading rules are not applied, consonant variation is indicated by a variation diacritic. For example, mύsic['mju: zιk] :"s"read [z] is crowned with .

In teaching materials for advanced students where relevant rules are applied, consonant variation is left unmarked;when a consonant retains its original(i.e. the most regular ) pronunciation under conditions that permit a variation, the non-variation diacritic is to be employed.(But such a consonant variation that happens under conditions which allow no variation at all requires a variation diacritic .)

According to the rule that a "s" which exists between two vowels becomes sonorized, the "s" pronounced [z] in "music", being regular, needs no diacritic; while the "s" in "basin" ['beιsə'n] requires the non-variation diacritic:

Examples to illustrate the employment of the above three diacritics are given below: Table 10:

19. A vowel letter, when sounded by a semi-vowel, is crowned by a diacritic like this: Q e.g. sūite [swιt] ; ònion['ʌnjən ]

The "u" in "qu" bears no diacritic when pronounced [w].

20. the diacritic for silent letters: π This diacritic is employed to demonstrate both silent vowels and silent consonants, e.g. Wèḍnẹsday['wenzdι] . Regular silent letters are unmarked. The said diacritic can also be used to indicate the variation of some digraphs :: for example,

/ "cḥ" indicates that this diagraph is pronounced [k] e.g. chord[kɔ:d]; / "ẉh" indicates that this digraph is pronounced [h], e.g. whòle[Həʊl];

/ "tḥ" indicates that this digraph is pronounced [t], e.g. thár[ta:].

21. The weak forms of words that appear in a sentence are left unmarked. For example, í am a stúdent. "am[əm]" and "a [ə]" have no diacritics placed above them.

Draft II. The Method of Showing Pronunciation with Heavier Strokes

Instead of the employment of diacritics, the method of marking letter strokes heavier allows a self-pronunciation for all English words. The present draft consists of the following methods: 1. A vowel letter, if presented wholly in heavier strokes, has the same pronunciation as it gets in the alphabet: a[eι], e[i:], i[aι], y[aι], o[əʊ], u[ju:].

A consonant letter, if presented wholly in heavier strokes, has its most regular pronunciation:b[b], c[k,s], d[d], f[f], g[g], h[h], j[dƷ], k[k], l[l], m[m], n[n], p[p] , q[k], r[r], S[s], t[t], v [v] , w[w], x[ks], y[j], z[z]. Digraphs: Ch[tʃ], th[θ], Sh[ʃ], ph[f], gh[f]. 2. A letter wholly presented in thinner strokes indicates silence, e.g. make[meιk]. As to a letter-combination, if its pronunciation can be indicated by only one of its constituent members which is wholly or partially presented in heavier strokes, the other, though not silent, is rendered in thinner strokes. For example, room[ru:m],

3. How letters partially presented in heavier strokes indicate their pronunciations is illustrated in the following tables:

Table 1: Single Vowel Letters Partially Presented in Heavier

Strokes Table 2. Uowel Letter-Combinations Partially Presented in Heavier Strokes

Table 3: Consonant Letters Partially Pressnted in Heavier Strokes

The design of the pronunciation-showing heavier strokes is made on the principle that the outlines of the designed heavier strokes bear as much resemblance as possible to the international phonetic symbols so as to offer a facility to students for memorizing them.

The variation in the pronunciation of digraphs is illustrated as follows: ch[k], ch[ʃ],, wh[h], th[t]

II CHINESE PRONUNCIATION SHOWING TYPE FACES

1. Every character retains its conventional strokes and structure. Out of each character, three strokes are chosen to represent its initial consonant, "yunmu" and tone.

The pronunciation of a Chinese character, i.e. a Chinese syllable, may be divided into two parts: "sheng-mu" and "yunmu". The former is an initial consonant; the latter a single or compound vowel, sometimes with the terminal consonant [n] or [η] in addition. Not every Chinese syllable has an initial consonant. A syllable without the initial consonant is called zero-consonant syllable. Every Chinese syllable, i.e. every Chinese character, has its own tone.

2. In general, the initial consonant is represented by a vertical stroke and the "yunmu" by a horizontal one. When there is no suitable vertical or horizontal stroke to be chosen , a slanting stroks,(a point stroke is deemed in the present system to be a slanting stroke as well,) may be the substitute . A horizontal stroke can not represent the initial consonant, nor can a vertical stroke indicate the "yunmu". If a slanting stroke is selected to represent the initial consonant, the angle between this slanting stroke and the horizontal stroke must be over 45 degrees. If a slanting stroke is selected to represent the "yunmu", the angle between this slanting stroke and the horizontal stroke must be under 45 degrees. The tone is represented by a stroke at the lower part on the right.

The strokes that represent the initial consonant, the "yunmu" and the tone are named "stroke letters". 3. The Invented Stroke Letters

(1) stroke letters indicating initial consonants

National Chinese Strtoke Reason for Design

Phonetic Phonetic Letter

Alphabet Alphabet b similar to "b"

P similar to "p" m similar to the first half of "M" f "f" with the horizontal stroke missing d similar to "d". t similar to "

" n " " is transformed to "

" l similar to "L" g similar to "G" k " < " is taken off "k" and put beneath a vertical stroke ḣ a little different from "h" j "j" with the dot missing q similar to "q" x the first half of "x" with a downward vertical stroke z c "c" with an upward vertical stroke s zh ch sh

r similar to "r"

Note: When put in a short stroke,

("x") may be written as ")" and ("c") as "c". ")" and "<" are the short forms of

and

(2) "Yunmu" a/ Single "Yunmu" National Chinese Stroke

Phonetic Phonetic Letter

Alphabet Alphabet

b/ Compound "Yunmu"

National Chinese Stroke Reason for Design Phonetic Phenetic Letter Alphabet ALphabet

Group One

- ia

The heavy horizontal line indicates "i". ie

The semi-dot on the line indicates "a", iau

the semi-dot beneath the line indicates (iao) "e" (or "o"). i(o)u

The arc (⌣ or ⌢ ) proper indicates "u". Its position on the line indicates "a", the one beneath the line indicates "o". Therefore, the arc on the line indicates "au", the one beneath the line indicates "ou".

Group Two ian

The heavy horizontal line indicates "i".

i(e)n .

The inward angle indicates "n". The outiang

' ward angle indicates 'ng".The inward i(e)ng

angle on the line indicates "an", the one beneath the line indicates "en". The outward angle an the line indicates "ang", the one beneath the line indicates "eng".

(When preceded by "i", "en" and "eng" are pronounced respectively "in" and "ing", with "e" missing) Group Three ai

The heavy horizontal line indicates "i" ei

The semi-dot on the line indicates "a".

uai

The semi-dot beneath the line indicates"e" uei

At the beginning of a heavy horizontal line, the arc proper indicates "u", the head of "yunmu", ( in other cases, "u" indicated by an arc is the tail of "yunmu"); its position on the line indicates "a", the one beneath the line indicates "e".

Group Four an

A fine horizontal line with a sign at its en

beginning does not indicate. any sound. ang

The inward angle proper indicates "n", its eng

position on the line indicates "a", the one au

beneath the line indicates "e" And so the ou

inward angle indicates "an" when being on the line and indicates "en" when being beneath the line.

The outward angle proper iadicates "ng", the outward angle on the line indicates "ang", the one beneath the line indicates "eng" When at the beginning of a fine horizontal. line , the arc proper indicates "u", the arc on the line indicates "au", the one beneath the line indicates "ou".

Group Five uan

A f ine line with a sign at its end indicates

u(e)n

"u". uang

The inward angle proper indicates "n", L ueng

the outward angle proper indicates "ng"; their

(ong) position on the line indicates "a" the one ua

beneath the line indicates "e" . uo

The semi-dot on the line indicates "a", the one beneath the line indicates "o". Group Six üan

The fine line with a dot at its beginning ü( e )n

indicates "ü". ü e ng

The inward angle proper indicates "n", the

(i . e. iong ) outward angle proper indicates "ng";

Qε

the inward angle an the line indicates "an", the one beneath the line indicates "en"; the outward angle beneath the line indicates "eng". The semi-dot beneath the line indicates

"e" When having j, q, x as the initial consonants, the "yunmu" in the present group are indicated by

, the stroke letters originally empoyed to indicate "uan", u(e)n, ueng(i.e.ong), uo As j, q, x can never be the initial consonants of a "yunmu" beginning with "u", what the four stroks letters indicate here can only be üan, ü(e)n, üeng(i.e. iong), üe.

Note:

The following three signs: the arc, the inward angle and the outward angle, illustrate simultaneously two different sounds each: indicating respectively "u", "n", "ng" by the sign proper and "a" or "e,o" by the position. The two different sounds shown by any of ths above signs exist in the same "yunmu" in a fixed order as follows: "u", "n", "ng", being the tail of "yunmu", appear invariably after the principal vowel "a", "e", or "o", such as "au" , "ou", "an", "en", "ang", "eng". But there is an exception: when a heavy horizontal line extends after an arc, the "u" indicated by the arc can not be the tail of "yunmu", but the head of "yunmu", because what the heavy horizontal line illustrates is already the tail of "yunmu" "i". (3) How the tone of a Chinese character is shown by stroke letters. Chinese characters are pronounced in the following tones: Tane 1, high level ; Tone 2, rising; Tone 3, falling-rising; Tons 4 , falling. And there is a light tone in addition. Tone 1 is unmarked.

Tone 4 is shown by marking heavier the end of the stroke in the lower part an the right. For example,

Tone 3 is shown as follows: if there is an angle stroke or an angle composed of two strokes in the lower part on the right, the angle is marked. heavier; if there is no such an angle stroke or an angle composed of two strokes, two segments of of the stroke at the same place as above are marked heavier. For example, /

y y Tone 2 is shown by marking heavier the beginning or the middle of the stroke in the lower part on the right, the end being left unmarked. For example,

The light tone is shown by semi-dotting the end of the stroke in the lower part on the right. For example, $

-de

If in the lower part on the right there stands a littls point stroke, the tone may be indicated as follows: Tone 4 is shown by v , an upward wedge-shaped stroke ; Tone 2 by V , a downward wedge-shaped stroke; Tone 3 by v . » a hook-ended point stroke; the Light Tone by •* , a semi-dot; Tone 1 is left unmarked. For example, Tone 4: Tone 3: Tone 2:

Light Tone: n

The grammatically regular light tone is unmarked.For example, the suffix of a noun:

_ j auxiliary words: J .le, .zhe,

.de, .& .de, .de, J etc.

4. How the stroke letters are fixed in the conventional strokes of a Chinese character.

(1) In a zero-initial-consonant syllable, only the "yunmu" and the tone are shown. For example,

(2) In the following syllables, the "yunmu" may be left unmarked, but the initial consonant and the tone are indicated.

They are: bo po mo fo de te ne le ge ke he ji qi xi zi ci si zhi chi shi ri. Far example,

Claims

Claims : concerning Draft I of English Pronunciation- Showing Type Faces

1. The first step of the present method is to divide a word into vowel segment and consonant segment. Several vowel letters that connect to each other, form a vowel segment( a single vowel letter may also be a vowel segment); same successive consonant letters( or a single one) constitute a consonant segment.W[ʊ], r[ə] are members of a vowel segment whereas u[w], i[j] belong to a consonant segment.

2. The second step is to classify all the vowel segments. Each category is provided with one diacritic mark. a/ classification of the pronunciations of single vowel letters:

① British Pronunciation:

(1) long vowel I: a[a:], e[j:], i [i : ] , y[i:], o[u:], u[u:]— diacritic mark:

(2) Long vowel II: aD[ɔ:] , o[ɔ:]— diacritaic mark;

(3) Short vowel I: (unround) a[æ], e[e], i[ι], y[ι], o[⋀], u[⋀] —diacritic mark:

(4) Short vowel II: (round): a[ɒ], o[ɒ], u[ʊ]—diacritic mark:

(5) Complex vowel of single vowel letters: a[eι], i[aι], y[aι], o[əʊ], u[ju:]—diacritic mark:

(6) Weak vowel I: a[ə], e[ə], iIə], y[ə], o[ə], u[ ə ] diacritc mark:

(7) Weak vowel II: a[I], e[l], y[I], o [əʊ], u[ju ʊ]— diacritic mark;

(8) Vowels with an irregular pronunciation:diacritic:

( Instead of indicating any particular sound or sounds this diacritic is employed to call attention to the fact that the mark-bearing vowel letter has such an irregular pronunciation as can not be classified into any one of the said eight categories of vowels.) Theeight categories mentioned above are indicated ively by eight different diacritics, but the one to demonstrate a weak vowel is generally not used except when an irregularly-pronounced word is involved.

② American Pronunciation: (1) Long vowel I: a[a:], e[i;], i[i:], y[i:], o[u:] diacritic:

(2) Long vowel II ( the long farm of [ɔ]): a[ɔ:], o[ɔ:]— diacritic:

(3) Short vowel I: a[æ], e[e], i[ι], y[ι], o[⋀] , u[⋀] diacritic :

(4) Short vowel II: a[a], o[⋀], u[⋀]—diacritic:

(5) Short vowel III: ( the short form of [ɔ]) : a[ɔ], o[ɔ]—diacritic:

(6) Complex vowels of single vowel letters: a[eι], i[aι], y[aι], o[əʊ], u[ju:]—diacritic:

(7) Weak vowel I: a[ə], e[ə], i[ə], y[ə], o[ə], u[ə]— diacritic:

(8) Weak vowel II: a[ι], e[ι], i[ι], y[ι], i[ι], o[əʊ], u [jə]—diacritic:

(9) Vowels with an irregular pronunciation-diacritic: ( the same as the one mentioned in British Pronunciation)

The above-said nine categories of vowels are indicated respectively by nine different diacritics. Short vowel III may be illustrated by a loan diacritic--the mark for Long vowel II. Weak vowels are generally left unmarked. The vowel letter combination ~r, if sounded by [3r], may be demonstrated either by the diacritic for Long vowel I, or by the diacritic for the complex vowels of single vowel letters.

b/ Compound vowels are divided into complex vowels and successive vowels. The two categories share the same diacritic but have it placed on different positions. (1) Complex vowels:

(a) strong complex vowel , its front part is crowned by a diacritic: i. traditional complex vowels diphthong—diacritic:

triphthong—diacritic:

ii. close complex vowel—diacritic:

(the same as that for complex vowels of single letters) iii. loose complex vowel—diacritic:

(b) weak complex vowels

(2) Successive vowels

(a) strong successive vowel , its back part is crowned by a diacritic. i. successive vowel of two sounds—diacritic:

ii. successive vowels of three sounds:

"2-1"successive vowel (The front part contains two sounds and the back part only one. )—diacritic:

"1-2"succsssive vowel ( The front part contains one sound and the back part two.)—diacritic:

iii. successive vowels of four sounds—diacritic: a double diacritic far the complex vowel of a single letter:

(b) weak successive vowels: diacritic— adouble diacritic for weak vowel II:

.

3. Two different kinds of diacritic marks have been designed to illustrate the variation and' non-variation of consonants: a/ two diacritics for variation: sonorization diacritic:

weakening diacritic:

b/ one diacritic for non-variation:

In text-books for students in their primary stages, variation in consonants has to be demonstrated by a variation diacritic . In advanced teaching materials where the rules pertinent to consonant variation are applied, regular consonant variation is to be left unmarked, but such a consonant as remains invariable under conditions that permit a variation has to be indicated by a non-variation diacritic. The consonantization of a vowel (i.e. "u" is sounded by [w] and i by [j]) is shown by a sonorization diacritic.

4. How the word stress is shown:

As is known, weak vowels are unmarked and mast of English words have only one strong vowel. Therefore, the diacritic crowned above the strong vowel tells not only the pronunciation of the vowel but also the word stress. The determination of the stress position of a word which contains more than one strong vowels may depend on the pertinent reading rules. A small number of irregularly-stressed words have their stress position demonstrated by a dot connected to the vowel diacritic presented in a heavier type face.

concerning Draft Ⅱ of English Pronunciation- Showing Type Faces

1. The pronunciation of an English word is indicated by presenting the selected letter or letters either in a heavier type face or in a thinner type face without altering its or their conventional outlines, or employing any diacritic mark.The present method is characterized in the fact that the selected letter or letters is or are made to allow a self-pronunciation for the word involved just by being marked either heavier or thinner.

2. A vowel letter that is wholly marked heavier indicates the same pronunciation as it gets in the alphabet a wholly-marked-heavier consonant latter demonstrates its most regular pronunciation. Various other pronunciations are shown by partially-marked-heavier letters. A letter wholly rendered thinner indicates silence. concerning the Chinese Pronunciation-showing Type Faces

1. The present method is to select out of each Chiness charater two or three strokes and fix in them the invented phonetic signs, named stroke letters, that indicate the initial consonant, the "yunmu" and the tone of the character invol ed.

2. A vertical or slanting stroke is chosen, to carry the sign that indicates the initial consonant. The invented consonantindicating signs (or stroke letters) are given below: b: , p: , m: , f: d: , t: , n : , l: g: , k: , h: , j: , q: , x: , z: , c: , s: , zh: , ch: , sh: I , r:

3. A horizontal or slanting stroke is selected to carry the sign that indicates the "yunmu".Following are the invented "yunmu"-indicating signs ( or stroke letters): stroke letters indicating single-voweled "yunmu": a: , o,e: , er: , i: , u: , ü: stroke letters indicating compound "yunmu": group 1: ia ___ , i e — , iau -_—TN , iou ___«__. group 2: ian — , i(e)n — - , iang —— * , i(e)ng group 3: ai — , ei ' , uai , u(e)i _---, group 4: an — en , ang , eng _ , au — ou group 5: uan —- , u(e)n , uang — ' , ueng — ua uo group 6: üan ü(e)n , üeng üe

4. A stroke at the lower part an the right is chosen to show the tone of a character as follows: Tone 1 is left unmarked;

Tone 4 is demonstrated by marking heavier the end of the said stroke;

Tone 3 is shown as follows: if there is an angle stroke or an angle composed of two strokes, the angle is rendered heavier. In case of a stroke other than an angle, two segments of the said stroke are rendered heavier;

Tone 2 is shown by marking heavier the beginning or the middle of the said stroke, its end being left unmarked; Light Tone is shown by semi-dotting the end of the said stroke.

What we claim is not only the three invented sets of type faces ( the set of English Pronunciation-Showing Type Faces Draft II; the set of English Pronunciation-Showing Type Faces Draft II; the set of Chinese Pronunciation-Showing Type Faces), but also the methods of employing these type faces, and ths latter is more significant.

concerning products:

1. all kinds of text-books, reading materials and dictionaries in which any of the said sets of type faces are employed;

2. type-writers, types and other printing tools to which any of the said sets of type faces are applied;

3. computers, machines transforming speech sound into writing or vice versa and other telecommunication equipments--- all the above-mentioned machines to which any of the said sets of type faces are applied.