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- ^Tutorial 8 - The Phonetic Alphabet\
-
- The Phonetic Alphabet is based on the simple concept that there are $ten
- digits\ in our numerical system, and also >ten\ basic >consonant\ phonetic
- >sounds\.
-
- For example, think of the letters '<p\' and '<b\'. When you pronounce the
- letter 'p' your lips and tongue are in the same position as when you say the
- letter 'b'. For the purposes of the Phonetic Alphabet, these letters can be
- classified as one phonetic sound.
-
- Similarly, think of the letter '|m\'. When you pronounce '|m'\ you have
- your lips together, as if you are going to hum a tune. No other letter in
- the alphabet requires your lips, tongue, and teeth to be in that position
- for pronounciation, so the letter '|m\' can be classified as a phonetic
- sound on its own.
-
- There are ten groups of basic phonetic sounds, and each group is paired
- against one of the ten digits 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0. The following table
- illustrates the groupings, together with some simple memory aids to help you
- remember them.#
- |Phonetic Sound Memory Aid
- -------------- ----------\
-
- ^1 = t or d \- the letter ^t\ has ^one\ downstroke
- ^2 = n \- the letter ^n\ has ^two\ downstrokes
- ^3 = m \- the letter ^m\ has ^three\ downstrokes
- ^4 = r \- the word '^four\' ends in the letter \^r\
- ^5 = l \- the Roman numeral for ^50\ is ^l\
- ^6 = j,sh,ch,or soft g \- ^j\ is almost like a ^6\ the other way round.
- ^7 = k,hard c or hard g \- the letter ^k\ contains two ^7's\, back to back
- ^8 = f,v,ph \- a handwritten ^'f'\ and ^8\ both have two loops
- ^9 = p,b \- the letter ^p\ is the mirror image of ^9\.
- ^0 = s, z, or soft c \- the word '^zero\' begins with the letter ^z\
-
- Vowels have no value in the phonetic alphabet and are disregarded, as are
- all the consonants not listed. They are used simply as 'fillers' when
- transposing numbers to words. For example, the number |32\ translates to
- the letters |'m'\ and |'n'\. Using the filler vowel |'a'\ gives us the word
- |'man'\, which immediately transposes back to the number |32\. Study the
- above table carefully, right now, and memorise the rules. When you think
- you know the rules, press Page Down to test yourself on how thoroughly you
- have learned them.~
-