Sounds in the English language with relative frequencies:
Vowels
| -Sound- | -As in- | Per M | ---|--- | -Sound- | -As in- | Per M | ---|--- | -Sound- | -As in- | Per M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a (long) | mate | 32 | o (long) | more | 22 | Vowel diphthongs: | ||||
| a (short) | mat | 32 | 74 | sh | shhhh | 13 | ||||
| h | aspirated | 8 | t | tat | 73 | ts | tsunami | * | ||
| j | hard g | 10 | v | vine | 15 | zh | azure | 1 | ||
| k | guttural | * | z | zinc | 26 | th | thin | 5 | ||
| l | lily | 53 | th | that | 34 | |||||
** Counted as two letters rather than as a single diphthong
In those cases where the short 'i' should be sounded for itself (as in Columbia), an unsounded vowel should be used between vowels.
I have had some difficulty assigning a phonetic value to the 'a' in 'car' but note the difficulty arises from the combination with the letter 'r' and suspect its phonetic vut creating serious problems of operator speed. But an easier adaptation would be to denote a capital letter by preceding it with a vertical line, perhaps bolder than the letters. This would greatly reduce the number of needed keys.
At least in English, there are rules for determining which syllable of a word to accent although there are very many exceptions; a phonetic alphabet that does not allow for a distinct marking to denote accent suffers the same disadvantage in pronunciations. The discussion following presents various implementations; only the last-mentioned allows incorporation of accent marks. It is my hope that, in the longer run, new symbols will come into use whose pronunciations, once learned, will be obvious in their own right (without diacritical marks). There will always be rules to determine accent, and there will always be exceptions; primary and secondary accent marks may be inserted above a vowel by arresting cursor (or carriage) movement for one finger stroke. A possible set of phonetic symbols is presented later in this essay.
The remainder of this essay deals with implementation of a phonetic alphabet and with a newly-designed, entirely phonetic, alphabet. Three levels of implementation are discussed: a traditional typewriter (rapidly becoming antique), a computer keyboard derived from the traditional typewriter (today's equipment), and a newly-designed keyboard taking advantage of the newly-designed alphabet.
Discussions using today's keyboards
The most flexible means of rendering the written word is, of course, the pen, which knows no limits in the symbols available. And, of course, whatever alphabet settles into use must allow both mechanical type and hand script as well as hand printing.
A traditional typewriter keyboard must use the set of symbols built into it. Since capitals are not used at all in this alphabet, long vowels may be denoted by use of capitals so that lower case vowels will be understood to be short vowels; for the third ‘a’ and third ‘u’ some artifact must be introduced. And a slash -- or perhaps an upper case letter such as cap X -- must be used in place of a vertical bar. I introduced this scheme in a newsletter I was publishing at the time, and those who tried it reported exceeding discomfort in its use -- precluding, I think, sustained efforts to permit the learning curve to reach a comfortable plateau.
Computer keyboards
The situation is little improved using a computer keyboard with its traditional key assignments. It does have a vertical line to denote capitalization.
A computer keyboard may be used by reassigning values to keys not used in this scheme, either unused consonants or capital consonants. Diacritical marks are available in some of the computer alphabets so reassignment is a one-for-one matter. Accents cannot be accommodated.
I have examined several alphabets available in Windows-98 and found one -- Book Antiqua -- that could be used as a phonetic alphabet, using a vowel without diacritical marks for the short sound and with a horizontal line over the vowel for the long sound; the third 'a' and third 'u' must use some artifact (not yet suggested) or a different diacritical mark. Some keys would simply not be used. The only lack is a symbol for the unsounded vowel; for this a dash -- or an asterisk -- would serve well. I have not begun to write a program making key assignments.
An expanded (phonetic) alphabet
In looking to a new set of symbols, I suggest the vertical space on the sheet be divided, for each line of type, into groupings of four spaces, two above the line and two below. The lower space below the line should be used to separate lines of text and the other three should be used to present the symbols.
I note that each symbol (letters of the alphabet -- lower case) consists of some combination of a small circle, a cup facing up down forward or reverse, vertical lines, and short horizontal lines. A possible scheme appears below, both a print version and a script version of each letter. (Note I have elected to avoid special symbols for consonant diphthongs except the two 'th's.) Punctuation marks have not been altered and use of symbols that may be confused with punctuation marks has been avoided. Rather than capitalize any letters, a bold vertical line preceding the letter shows its strength; thus capitalization is supplanted. In all cases the script versions start on the line and end on the line.
Suggested print and script symbols are:
The primary accent mark is a short sloping line (similar to a forward slant) above the vowel to be accented; for a secondary accent a dot will suffice; should a tertiary accent be needed, two small dots side by side will suffice.
An accent mark will be used only when needed to avoid confusion in applying
the rule that the next-to-last syllable will receive the accent, except that:
1) Long vowels will receive the primary accent.
2) A plural word ending in 's' or 'z' will be accented without regard for the letter
used to make of it a plural.
3) A compound word (such as a compass heading) should bear accents to show
equality of emphasis.
There should be no confusion in using the vertical bar to denote capitalization; in print it is bolder and hence emphasized, while in script it is a separate mark so the pen must be lifted.
A keyboard to implement this alphabet
A newly-designed computer keyboard has merit in its own right since the rationale for placing the letters on a slant is no longer viable. We may use restyled symbols so each sound has its own distinct symbol. Moreover, the most-used letters may be placed under the pointing fingers and other positions may be assigned in keeping with frequency of use and ease of striking the key. There is also the possibility of accent marks (as punctuation keys) but with the cursor not advancing when an accent key is struck. I also would use the thumbs more, both right and left, each with a downward movement and a movement toward the palm, giving four keys where there is presently only one.
I foresee off in the distance a keyboard in a matrix of vertical columns and horizontal rows where vertical supplants the slant of present keyboards. I feel that would contribute to ease of acquiring the skill as well as ease in entering data. Moreover, the thumbs would be used much more than at present.
A possible newly-designed keyboard would have 3 rows and 11 columns for a total of 32 symbols. Home keys would be 's' and 'n' (same position as at present). It would have shift keys as with present keyboards so each key may be used for two symbols. It would allow use of right and left thumbs moving both downward and toward the palms. Other function keys would also be retained, but the digits 0-9 would be available only on a key pad to the right. (Of course, the flexibility of the computer makes it possible to use additional shift keys so each finger position could be used for three or four -- or even more -- symbols. But that is not proposed.)
Restating the alphabetic sounds in order of frequency: short i (90), short u, n (75), s, t, r, l (54), d, unsounded vowel, hard c, long e (42), m, short e, enunciated th, long a, short a, f (30), z, short o, long o, p, b, long u, v, sh, a (as in ball)(12), ng, j, h, ch, g, aspirated th, long i (6), u (as in look), zh. The frequency of use dictates the choice of position of each sound on a newly-designed keyboard. (Punctuation marks defy ranking in frequency, but the following have been incorporated into computer keyboards and thus should be available on any new keyboard: . , ; : ~ ` ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) - _ = + [ ] { } \ | / ? > < ' " -- 32 in all.)
We are now in a position to make tentative finger (and thus key) assignments. Since I am right-handed, I will favor that hand in all choices. The result is presented below. Punctuation marks all require using the shift key.
Based on QWERTY keyboard, key assignments are:
| Present key-- | -Q--- | -W--- | -E--- | -R--- | -T--- | -Y--- | -U----- | -I--- | -O--- | -P--- | -**-- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sound | j | a | th | e | c | m | silent | e | a | a | i |
| short | (at) | short | hard | vowel | long | long | (ll) | long | |||
| Shift | \ | [ | { | ! | < | > | ? | } | ] | / | | |
| Present key-- | -A--- | -S--- | -D--- | -F--- | -G--- | -H--- | -J----- | -K--- | -L--- | -;--- | -**--- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sound | z | r | u | s | d | l | n | i | t | f | th |
| short | short | (in) | |||||||||
| Shift | _ | ( | , | : | " | ' | ; | . | ) | - | ~ |
| Present key-- | -Z--- | -X--- | -C--- | -V--- | -B--- | -N--- | -M----- | -,--- | -.--- | -**--- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sound | u | g | v | o | b | i | o | p | h | u |
| (look) | (soft) | long | long | short | long | |||||
| Shift | ` | = | # | + | $ | & | % | @ | * | ^ |
Home keys should be "s" and "n", positioned as "F" and "J" at present.
Shift keys, on both right and left, approximately as at present. Present space bar broken into two lengths, above which, on the left, is a leftward moving key, and on the right is a rightward moving key. Of these the left space bar prints the vertical bar to denote capitalization while the right space bar prints, as now, a space. The leftward moving key prints a secondary accent (stationary cursor) and the rightward moving key prints a primary accent (stationary cursor).
This yields a phonetic alphabet, using 32 keys. All punctuation marks are included by using the shift key. All function keys may be essentially as at present. Should it be wished, another row of keys may be included above QWERTY to provide digits without moving the right hand from the keyboard to the keypad, which should be to the right. (Alternatively, since Caps Lock will not be used in this scheme, the digits 0-9 may be assigned to the ASDFG row by using a key where Caps Lock is now positioned.) All function keys may be as at present (year 2000).
It may prove advantageous to rethink the ASCII alphabetic scheme. But that has been done to accommodate the various languages of our world and should be no more problematic -- just one more rewrite.
An invitation
Postscript: As personal resources permit I will pursue the various aspects of switching to this phonetic alphabet and progress will be indicated here. In the meantime, if you wish to practice reading and writing using this alphabet I will be glad to provide my physical mailing address for your use; just ask. With some practice you may wish to enlist friends and correspondents to try their hand. There can be no question that, over time, this is the way to go.
Of course, should you wish to accelerate progress toward adoption and use of a phonetic alphabet, your contribution would be welcome, either money donation or programming time or comment that would make the new alphabet or its implementation more efficient.
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