Phonetics, the study of human speech sounds, is a discipline that can enhance an actor’s engagement with language. While fluency in phonetic transcription is not a prerequisite for good acting, basic familiarity with phonetics and the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) can be valuable tools, especially when tackling accent work.
Unlike English spelling, which can often be inconsistent, in the IPA each sound in human speech is represented by a single unique symbol. This one-to-one correspondence avoids confusion and provides actors with a clear, unambiguous guide to pronunciation. Learning to use the IPA can help actors decipher the specific sounds of a language or accent, making it a potentially useful addition to their skill set for character development and storytelling.
Resources
IPA Charts
IPA Chart – PDF (International Phonetic Association)
Audio Charts
Interactive Audio IPA Chart (International Phonetic Association)
IPA Vowel Chart With Audio (Wikipedia)
IPA Consonant Chart With Audio (Wikipedia)
Audio/Visual Charts
Seeing Speech (UTI, MRI, and Animations)
Type Phonetic Symbols
Reading Practice
Phonetics Practice Flashcards (Quizlet)
Phonetics Practice Pages (Handout)