If I P A ruled the world...
May. 16th, 2008 06:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lprovenThe International Phonetic Alphabet is a wonderful thing, and like sign language, not nearly widely enough used.
(I mean, imagine if we learned BSL (British Sign Language) in school. (ASL - American Sign Language, a totally different and mutually incomprehensible form, for Colonials.) It would be immensely handy, for instance, in noisy pubs and clubs, for communicating a round, or for silently discussing something in a live gig. If hearing people had it, I'm sure they'd find a way to use it. Also, in the early days, a great private language for kids, upon which parents couldn't eavesdrop. And in the longer run, what a great way to promote the inclusion of Deaf people in hearing society.)
But anyway. Splendidly amusing little piece on IPA in daily use in one narrow walk of life: opera.
IPA in the USA.
(I mean, imagine if we learned BSL (British Sign Language) in school. (ASL - American Sign Language, a totally different and mutually incomprehensible form, for Colonials.) It would be immensely handy, for instance, in noisy pubs and clubs, for communicating a round, or for silently discussing something in a live gig. If hearing people had it, I'm sure they'd find a way to use it. Also, in the early days, a great private language for kids, upon which parents couldn't eavesdrop. And in the longer run, what a great way to promote the inclusion of Deaf people in hearing society.)
But anyway. Splendidly amusing little piece on IPA in daily use in one narrow walk of life: opera.
IPA in the USA.
