Phonetic Brackets and the Usage


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Vowels . Consonants . Technical terms . Phonetic brackets . Examples of phonetic records . Phonetic system home
To show characters are used phonetically
To show it is a vocal record of a speech of conversation
The variation of the left and the right P-brackets
Logos (abbreviations of names)
Identification of the kind of abbreviation
Usage of phonetic brackets for classification

To show characters are used phonetically

  pl__ pr
The characters between the left and the right phonetic brackets are recognized as phonetics.

This bracket set is used in a message document to show only the part is phonetics.

If the page number is in the p-brackets, the contents of the page are all phonetics
except the contents of definition brackets, if they are there.

To show it is a vocal record of a speech of conversation

Usually the definition conversation brackets work for quotation marks
holding meanings of the conversation. Contrary the phonetic conversation brackets are used
showing that the content is not a meaning but a vocal record of a conversation.

  {pl,42}__{pr,42}
In the same way as the definition system, (42) is compounded on both p-brackets
to show a conversation part, symbolizing relating to sound.
The speaker's logo (abbreviation of a name) can be attached in front of
the left bracket of a conversation, instead of describing who spoke.

 
When (05: deny voice) is compounded with the left conversation bracket,
the whole speech in the brackets is pronounced voicelessly: in a whisper.

 
The left conversation bracket compounded with (57: question in the definition system)
shows that the speech is for a question.

 
The left conversation bracket compounded with (68) shows that the speech is strongly emotional.

Like these examples, you can simply add some extra expressions for a speech sound.

The variation of the left and the right P-brackets

In any traditional languages you have to describe in words for unusual elements of sound,
as voicelessly, breathing in, strongly and loudly or with restrained low voice, etc.
The EL P-brackets can include that kind of information easily,
putting a diacritical symbol in the left bracket. The sounds of the content of a p-brackets set
are all pronounced with each diacritic(s) together.

E.g.
  (voicelessly), { (breathing in)
  (strongly), (restrained)
  (with strong and high voice),   (with weak and low voice)

Logos (abbreviations of names)

The EL definition system much shortens the writing for meaning messages.
Contrary to this, EL needs many phonetics for correctly recording sounds.
A rational abbreviation system can help balancing between them.

pr
An independent right phonetic bracket holding a phonetic character
shows an abbreviation of sounds (mainly for a name).

E.g. in the below EL writing, the top base overlay is used as a logo for [Washington].
A few main phonetic bases from the whole pronunciation of the name are compounded with the right bracket.
The following characters inside of the brackets are the total spelling for [Washington].

Setting like this informing this in the first appearance of this abbreviation
and also in the end of the book/document, all other [Washington] can be shown
by one base overlay (the top character only) as the abbreviation of that name.

By this method, any name can be shown as a single character logo.
Popular place names and historical person's names should be shown
as the same abbreviation for convenience of the universal communication.

There are two ways to create an abbreviation (logo).
When the logo is the symbol of the meaning,
you use the right definition bracket for it by the similar way;
the phonetic bracket logo is for only the abbreviation of sounds .

Identification of the kind of abbreviation

By only hearing [Washington], you are not sure if it's a person's name,
a place name or other. The EL system can simply represent it too.

To identify the kind of names or logos, the left definition bracket (dl) is used;
holding a definition character to show what kind of thing the name is for.

E.g.
Using the combination of and (pr)



The left holds , which means person , then these two characters shows person's name [Washington].
The center shows a State in it, so it's the state name [Washington].
The right holds a river, so it is the river name [Washington].

For a stranger in a culture, it is difficult to identify a sound as a name of something
among many general words. This system helps from the problem.

* Ancient Babylonian cuneiform writing system similarly had marks to identify the kind of a name, so even thousands years later, present scholars can recognize the meanings and the stories as “Gilgameš.”
If people could learn proper nouns as each original pronunciation, using the EL phonetics,
that part of communications would not get much confusion between cultures.


Person's name [Napoleon Bonaparte]
(French pronunciation)

Try to write your name and to make your logo.

The sequence of first name and family name is not the same by the culture,
so when communicating with foreigners, sometimes it’s better to show which is the family name.
For that, the identification character as family is put in in the middle of phonetic writing.
It works for from the next character through before or a blank.


: Family name: [ Washington ]


[George (Family name : ) Washington]

Usage of phonetic bracket for classification

P-brackets can help for classifying parts by particular categories, original languages, parts of speech, etc.
(33) is used for creating abstract characters in the definition system.
Putting a numeral in it, as a number, or putting another base that
easily reminds you the classification kind,
you can use them for classifying the part held by the brackets in phonetic writings.

Use as the following examples:

This system must be useful especially for linguistic study to compare pronunciations
between local languages; also for vocal arts to show which actor’s/singer’s voice work z
for each part between a brackets.
* In case for a public usage, don't forget including 33 for this purpose.
If not it might be mistaken as a total phonetic sign.
These definition and phonetic brackets might help arranging information
even in an English or any local language writings.

Please try and enjoy. To the Top

Written by Yoshiko McFarland. Checking her English by Don & Stan (1997-revised in 2003)