Modifying the IPA Chart

The International Phonetic Alphabet is intended to standardize the sounds of spoken language and to replace the many separate transcription systems. The International Phonetic Association published the first version in 1888 and revised it various times during the 20th and 21st centuries. They also published a chart summarizing the alphabet, which linguists, teachers, singers, actors, and language creators use as a learning tool. 

The most noticeable IPA modifications were proposed at the 1989 Kiel Convention. In addition to revising the alphabet, the IPA Handbook was written and published and included the principles it was founded upon.

Procedure for IPA Modifications

The first step in modifying the chart or the alphabet is to present the change in the Journal of the IPA. In the same issue or the following one, reactions are published. The elected Council of the IPA accepts a formal proposal for further dialogue and performs a final vote. 

Each time the Association modifies the IPA and chart, they publish an update. Some aspects of the alphabet don’t fit on the chart, so they are listed under the “other symbols” block. The epiglottal and alveolo-palatal consonants alone would need two additional columns. A full accounting of the indefinite number of diacritics and tone letters would be impossible, and the reversed tone letters are not included at all.