Reproduction of PPA

The Pictographic Phonetic Alphabet as a Work, and each of the Pictographic Phonetic Alphabet characters and symbols as individual Works, are copyright © 2021 by Snejina Sonina. As of January 2021, they are made freely available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) licence. This licence allows non-commercial use, as long as attribution is given and the reproduction is under the same licence. This licence does not authorize you to alter, transform, or build upon this work. See https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode for the complete terms.

Attribution:

Pictographic Phonetic Alphabet, https://ppa4ipa.com, is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 Unported licence in respect of the Pictographic Phonetic Alphabet as a Work, and in respect of each character and symbol as a distinct individual Work. Copyright © 2021 Snejina Sonina. Extended licences available as expressly authorized in writing by Snejina Sonina, <>

PPA Characters

PDF file with the first version of Pictographic Phonetic Alphabet is here.

PPA characters for pulmonic CONSONANTS of the IPA

PPA characters for PULMONIC CONSONANTS of the International Phonetic Alphabet
 N     Bilabial     Labiodental       Dental          Alveolar    Postalveolar   Retroflex        Palatal            Velar             Uvular        Pharyngeal       Glottal     
1
Plosive
Plosive
p
p
b
b
 
 
 
 
t
t
d
d
ʈ
ʈ
ɖ
ɖ
c
c
ɟ
ɟ
k
k
g
g
q
q
G
G
ʔ
ʔ
2
Nasal
Nasal
m
m
ɱ
ɱ
n
n
ɳ
ɳ
ɲ
ɲ
ŋ
ŋ
ɴ
ɴ
3
Trill
Trill
ʙ
ʙ
r
r
ʀ
ʀ
4
Tap or Flap
Tap or Flap
ɾ
ɾ
ɽ
ɽ
5
Fricative
Fricative
ɸ
ɸ
β
β
f
f
v
v
θ
θ
ð
ð
s
s
z
z
ʃ
ʃ
ʒ
ʒ
ʂ
ʂ
ʐ
ʐ
ç
ç
ʝ
ʝ
x
x
ɣ
ɣ
χ
χ
ʁ
ʁ
ħ
ħ
ʕ
ʕ
h
h
ɦ
ɦ
6
Lateral fricative
Lateral fricative
ɬ
ɬ
ɮ
ɮ
7
Approximant
Approximant
ʋ
ʋ
ɹ
ɹ
ɻ
ɻ
j
j
ɥ
ɥ
ɰ
ɰ
w
w
8
Lateral approximant
Lateral approximant
l
l
ɭ
ɭ
ʎ
ʎ
ʟ
ʟ

PPA characters for SEMIVOWELS of the IPA

PPA characters for SEMIVOWELS of the IPA (the corresponding IPA signs are located under the characters)
Semivowels or semiconsonants or approximants
FrontCentralBack
UnroundedRoundedUnroundedRoundedUnroundedRounded
j
j
ɥ
ɥ
ɰ
ɰ
w
w

PPA characters for VOWELS of the IPA

PPA characters for VOWELS of the IPA (the corresponding IPA signs are located under the characters)
FrontCentralBack
Close
i
i
i-◻
i-◻

y
y

I
I
I-◻
I-◻

Y
Y

ɨ
ɨ
ɨ-◻
ɨ-◻

ʉ
ʉ

ʊ
ʊ
ʊ-◻
ʊ-◻
ɯ
ɯ
ɯ-◻
ɯ-◻

u
u
Close-mid
e
e
e-◻
e-◻

ø
ø
ɘ
ɘ
ɘ-◻
ɘ-◻

ɵ
ɵ

ə
ə
ə-◻
ə-◻
ɤ
ɤ
ɤ-◻
ɤ-◻

o
o
Open-mid
ɛ
ɛ
ɛ-◻
ɛ-◻

œ
œ

æ
æ
æ-◻
æ-◻

ɜ
ɜ
ɜ-◻
ɜ-◻

ɞ
ɞ

ɐ
ɐ
ɐ-◻
ɐ-◻
ʌ
ʌ
ʌ-◻
ʌ-◻

ɔ
ɔ
Open
a
a
a-◻
a-◻

ɶ
ɶ
ɑ
ɑ
ɑ-◻
ɑ-◻

ɒ
ɒ
Rounded / Unrounded or (the oval is a more realistic representation used in animations)

Sound recordings on the IPA website

PPA characters for NASAL VOWELS

PPA characters for NASAL VOWELS
ĩ
ĩ
ĩ-◻
ĩ-◻
ɛ̃
ɛ̃
ɛ̃-◻
ɛ̃-◻
œ̃
œ̃
ɔ̃
ɔ̃
ɑ̃
ɑ̃

PPA Inventory

Under development.

Additional symbols for phonological features (DIACRITICS in IPA)

PPA inventory: additional symbols for phonological features (DIACRITICS in IPA)
NSymbolsMeaningIcon = pictographic metaphor
1
Voiced
Voiced [+voice] (unnecessary for sounds voiced by definition: vowels, nasals, etc.)Wavy shape & place = sound wave from the vocal cords
2
Creaky voiced
Creaky voicedArrow head = sharpness
3
Breathy voiced
Breathy voiced Spiraling shape = breath & air
4
Aspirated
AspiratedSpiraling shape & place = puff of air
5
Unvoiced
VoicelessCrossed bars = blocked way

Symbols for MODES OF ARTICULATION for consonants

PPA inventory: symbols for MODES of articulation for CONSONANTS
NSymbolsMeaningPictographic metaphor – combination of icons
1
Plosive
PlosiveSudden and single movement of interacting surfaces
2
Trill
TrillRepetitive interaction of surfaces, vibration
3
Tap
Tap or flapSingle tap of one surface on another
4
Fricative
FricativeSurfaces rubbing against one another
5
Lateral
LateralFree movement on the sides of interacting surfaces
6
Lateral fricative
Lateral fricativeCombination of 4 & 5
7
Affricate
AffricateLate release, movement occur only on a second try
8
Clicks
ClicksTwo points of contact ( ! = loudest consonants )
9
Implosives
ImplosivesIngressive and egressive airstream mechanism
10
Ejectives
EjectivesSimultaneous closure of the glottis, air ejection

Symbols for SUPRASEGMETALS

PPA inventory: symbols for SUPRASEGMETALS
NSymbolsMeaningPictographic metaphor
1
Faded Consonant
Vowel
Faded Consonant
Faded Vowel
Primary stressThe biggest = most stressed
2
Faded Consonant
Vowel
Faded Consonant
Faded Vowel
Secondary stressSecond biggest = less stressed
3
Faded Consonant
Vowel
Faded Consonant
Faded Vowel
LongLength of the symbol = length of the sound
4
Faded Consonant
Vowel
Faded Consonant
Faded Vowel
Half-longLength of the symbol = length of the sound
5
Faded Consonant
Vowel
Faded Consonant
Faded Vowel
Extra-shortLength of the symbol = length of the sound
6
Syllable break or syllable unityMeander like linked symbols = syllable pronounced as a sound unite
7
Faded Consonant
Faded Vowel
Faded Consonant
Faded Vowel
Faded Consonant
Faded Vowel
Minor group (foot)Same as IPA
8
Faded Consonant
Faded Vowel
Faded Consonant
Faded Vowel
Faded Consonant
Faded Vowel
Major group (intonation)Same as IPA
9
Linking (absence of break)Same as IPA