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English (UK) MFA dictionary v3.0.0#

  • Maintainer: Montreal Forced Aligner

  • Language: English

  • Dialect: British English

  • Phone set: MFA

  • Number of words: 74,993

  • Phones: a aj aw b bʲ c cʰ cʷ d dʒ dʲ d̪ e ej f fʲ fʷ h i iː j k kʰ kʷ l m mʲ m̩ n n̩ p pʰ pʲ pʷ s t tʃ tʰ tʲ tʷ t̪ v vʲ vʷ w z ç ð ŋ ɐ ɑ ɑː ɒ ɒː ɔj ə əw ɛ ɛː ɜ ɜː ɟ ɟʷ ɡ ɡʷ ɪ ɫ ɫ̩ ɱ ɲ ɹ ʃ ʉ ʉː ʊ ʎ ʒ ʔ θ

  • License: CC BY 4.0

  • Compatible MFA version: v3.0.0

  • Citation:

@techreport{mfa_english_uk_mfa_dictionary_2024,
	author={McAuliffe, Michael and Sonderegger, Morgan},
	title={English (UK) MFA dictionary v3.0.0},
	address={\url{https://mfa-models.readthedocs.io/pronunciation dictionary/English/English (UK) MFA dictionary v3_0_0.html}},
	year={2024},
	month={Feb},
}

G2P models
../../_images/full_logo_yellow.svg

Installation#

Install from the MFA command line:

mfa model download dictionary english_uk_mfa

Or download from the release page.

The dictionary available from the release page and command line installation has pronunciation and silence probabilities estimated as part acoustic model training (see Silence probability format and training pronunciation probabilities for more information. If you would like to use the version of this dictionary without probabilities, please see the [plain dictionary](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/MontrealCorpusTools/mfa-models/main/dictionary/english/mfa/English (UK) MFA dictionary v3_0_0.dict).

Intended use#

This dictionary is intended for forced alignment of English transcripts.

This dictionary uses the MFA phone set for English, and was used in training the English MFA acoustic model. Pronunciations can be added on top of the dictionary, as long as no additional phones are introduced.

Performance Factors#

When trying to get better alignment accuracy, adding pronunciations is generally helpful, especially for different styles and dialects. The most impactful improvements will generally be seen when adding reduced variants that involve deleting segments/syllables common in spontaneous speech. Alignment must include all phones specified in the pronunciation of a word, and each phone has a minimum duration (by default 10ms). If a speaker pronounces a multisyllabic word with just a single syllable, it can be hard for MFA to fit all the segments in, so it will lead to alignment errors on adjacent words as well.

Ethical considerations#

Deploying any Speech-to-Text model into any production setting has ethical implications. You should consider these implications before use.

Demographic Bias#

You should assume every machine learning model has demographic bias unless proven otherwise. For pronunciation dictionaries, it is often the case that transcription accuracy and lexicon coverage for the prestige variety modeled in this dictionary compared to other variants. If you are using this dictionary in production, you should acknowledge this as a potential issue.

IPA Charts#

Consonants#

Obstruent symbols to the left of are unvoiced and those to the right are voiced.

Manner

Labial

Labiodental

Dental

Alveolar

Alveopalatal

Palatal

Velar

Glottal

Nasal
Occurrences:
15,538
Examples:
* maha:
[m ɑː h ɑː]
* lima:
[ʎ iː m ə]
* moshe:
[m ɒ ʃ]
* mod:
[m ɒ d]
Occurrences:
3,386
Examples:
* memes:
[mʲ iː m z]
* rummy:
[ɹ ɐ mʲ i]
* naomi:
[n aj əw mʲ i]
* meal:
[mʲ iː ɫ]
Occurrences:
6
Examples:
* them:
[m̩]
* from:
[f ɹ m̩]
* him:
[m̩]
Occurrences:
4
Examples:
Occurrences:
31,584
Examples:
* ones:
[w ɐ n z]
* again:
[ə ɡ ej n]
* minot:
[mʲ ɪ n ɒ t]
* nerd:
[n ɜː d]
Occurrences:
84
Examples:
* can:
[k n̩]
* iron:
[aj n̩]
* and:
[n̩]
* even:
[iː v n̩]
Occurrences:
5,949
Examples:
* anise:
[ə ɲ iː z]
* nimoy:
[ɲ iː m ɔj]
* sinai:
[s aj ɲ ej]
* nabu:
[ɲ ej b ʉː]
Occurrences:
5,984
Examples:
* hanks:
[h a ŋ k s]
* trunk:
[tʃ ɹ ɐ ŋ k]
* uncut:
[ɐ ŋ kʰ ɐ t]
* pong:
[pʰ ɒ ŋ]

Stop Plain
Occurrences:
8,953
Examples:
* pepin:
[pʰ ə p ɪ n]
* whoop:
[w ʉː p]
* loops:
[l ʉː p s]
* opera:
[ɒ p ə ɹ ə]
Occurrences:
615
Examples:
* pumas:
[pʲ ʉː m ə z]
* pews:
[pʲ ʉː z]
* spee:
[s pʲ iː]
* opie:
[əw pʲ i]
Occurrences:
13
Examples:
* puy:
[pʷ iː]
Occurrences:
10,178
Examples:
* brigg:
[b ɹ ɪ ɡ]
* bravo:
[b ɹ ɑː v əw]
* bangs:
[b a ŋ z]
* amble:
[a m b ə ɫ]
Occurrences:
2,110
Examples:
* below:
[bʲ ɪ l əw]
* colby:
[kʰ əw ɫ bʲ i]
* bebop:
[bʲ iː b ɒ p]
* sabin:
[s ej bʲ ɪ n]
Occurrences:
98
Examples:
* oath:
[əw t̪]
* path:
[pʰ a t̪]
* month:
[m ɐ n t̪]
* smith:
[s mʲ ɪ t̪]
Occurrences:
64
Examples:
* then:
[d̪ ɛ n]
* with:
[w ɪ d̪]
* they:
[d̪ ej]
* other:
[ɐ d̪ ə]
Occurrences:
20,056
Examples:
* least:
[ʎ iː s t]
* mitra:
[mʲ iː t ɹ ə]
* chaat:
[tʃ ɑː t]
* orton:
[ɒː t ə n]
Occurrences:
9,271
Examples:
* forte:
[f ɒː tʲ i]
* basti:
[b a s tʲ i]
* tilde:
[tʲ ɪ ɫ d ə]
* atria:
[ej tʲ ɹ i ə]
Occurrences:
113
Examples:
* tweed:
[tʷ iː d]
* twins:
[tʷ ɪ n z]
* twill:
[tʷ ɪ ɫ]
* twin:
[tʷ ɪ n]
Occurrences:
15,488
Examples:
* piled:
[pʰ aj ɫ d]
* yodel:
[j əw d ə ɫ]
* diary:
[d aj ə ɹ i]
* would:
[w ʊ d]
Occurrences:
6,059
Examples:
* dix:
[dʲ ɪ k s]
* deeds:
[dʲ iː d z]
* cindy:
[s ɪ n dʲ i]
* duly:
[dʲ ʉː ʎ i]
Occurrences:
3,762
Examples:
* skies:
[s c iː z]
* kukri:
[kʰ ʊ c ɹ i]
* skew:
[s c ʉː]
* clang:
[c ʎ a ŋ]
Occurrences:
368
Examples:
* cuomo:
[cʷ əw m əw]
* quill:
[cʷ ɪ ɫ]
* quin:
[cʷ ɪ n]
* squid:
[s cʷ ɪ d]
Occurrences:
1,658
Examples:
* glen:
[ɟ ʎ ɪ n]
* gets:
[ɟ ɪ t s]
* grim:
[ɟ ɹ ɪ m]
* bogie:
[b əw ɟ i]
Occurrences:
78
Examples:
* guido:
[ɟʷ iː d əw]
* gwynn:
[ɟʷ ɪ n]
* gwyn:
[ɟʷ ɪ n]
* gwen:
[ɟʷ ɛ n]
Occurrences:
13,366
Examples:
* clara:
[k l ɑː ɹ ə]
* dick:
[dʲ ɪ k]
* mucus:
[mʲ ʉː k ə s]
* broke:
[b ɹ əw k]
Occurrences:
579
Examples:
* quern:
[kʷ ɜː n]
* squab:
[s kʷ ɒ b]
* quirk:
[kʷ ɜː k]
* quite:
[kʷ aj]
Occurrences:
5,680
Examples:
* grew:
[ɡ ɹ ʉː]
* tagma:
[tʰ a ɡ m ə]
* gupta:
[ɡ ɐ p t ə]
* globe:
[ɡ l əw b]
Occurrences:
66
Examples:
* guava:
[ɡʷ ɑː v ə]
* agua:
[ɑ ɡʷ ə]
* guang:
[ɡʷ ɑː ŋ]
* guam:
[ɡʷ ɒ m]
Occurrences:
37
Examples:
* split:
[s p ʎ ɪ ʔ]
* coat:
[kʰ əw ʔ]
* set:
[s ɛ ʔ]
* visit:
[v ɪ z ɪ ʔ]

Aspirated
Occurrences:
5,705
Examples:
* napo:
[ɲ ej pʰ əw]
* pooh:
[pʰ ʉː]
* peal:
[pʰ iː ɫ]
* poor:
[pʰ ʊ ə]
Occurrences:
5,090
Examples:
* taito:
[tʰ aj tʰ əw]
* tully:
[tʰ ɐ ʎ i]
* tact:
[tʰ a k t]
* touch:
[tʰ ɐ tʃ]
Occurrences:
1,783
Examples:
* char:
[cʰ ɛː]
* capon:
[cʰ ej p ə n]
* kenya:
[cʰ ɛ ɲ ə]
* kaine:
[cʰ ej n]
Occurrences:
6,912
Examples:
* kook:
[kʰ ʉː k]
* kasha:
[kʰ ɑ ʃ ə]
* decal:
[dʲ iː kʰ a ɫ]
* combe:
[kʰ ʉː m]

Affricate
Occurrences:
3,018
Examples:
* trees:
[tʃ ɹ iː z]
* tree:
[tʃ iː]
* inch:
[ɪ n tʃ]
* chary:
[tʃ ɛː ɹ i]
Occurrences:
4,826
Examples:
* joel:
[dʒ əw ə ɫ]
* mangy:
[m ej n dʒ i]
* jared:
[dʒ a ɹ ə d]
* june:
[dʒ ʉː n]

Sibilant
Occurrences:
32,866
Examples:
* vegas:
[v ej ɡ ə s]
* cebu:
[s ɛ b ʉː]
* cox:
[kʰ ɒ k s]
* texas:
[tʰ ɛ k s ə s]
Occurrences:
13,413
Examples:
* exult:
[ɪ ɡ z ɐ ɫ t]
* ozona:
[əw z əw n ə]
* caves:
[cʰ ej v z]
* rose:
[ɹ əw z]
Occurrences:
6,435
Examples:
* asia:
[ej ʃ ə]
* clash:
[c ʎ a ʃ]
* ratio:
[ɹ ej ʃ əw]
* shone:
[ʃ əw n]
Occurrences:
499
Examples:
* jus:
[ʒ ʉː s]
* azusa:
[a ʒ ʉː z ə]
* usury:
[j ʉː ʒ ə ɹ i]
* beige:
[b ej ʒ]

Fricative
Occurrences:
7,304
Examples:
* lefty:
[l ɛ f tʲ i]
* fico:
[f aj kʰ əw]
* fatty:
[f a tʲ i]
* for:
[f ɒː]
Occurrences:
2,181
Examples:
* fifth:
[fʲ ɪ f θ]
* feces:
[fʲ iː s iː z]
* rafi:
[ɹ ɑː fʲ i]
* sofia:
[s ɒ fʲ iː ə]
Occurrences:
3
Examples:
Occurrences:
6,150
Examples:
* vimeo:
[v ɪ mʲ ɪ əw]
* vagus:
[v ej ɡ ə s]
* silva:
[s ɪ ɫ v ə]
* hovel:
[h ɒ v ə ɫ]
Occurrences:
546
Examples:
* ivied:
[aj vʲ iː d]
* veal:
[vʲ iː ɫ]
* vila:
[vʲ iː l ə]
* vito:
[vʲ iː tʰ əw]
Occurrences:
8
Examples:
Occurrences:
2,342
Examples:
* ibiza:
[aj bʲ iː θ ə]
* month:
[m ɐ n θ]
* mouth:
[m aw θ]
* goths:
[ɡ ɒ θ s]
Occurrences:
523
Examples:
* withe:
[w ɪ ð]
* width:
[w ɪ d ð]
* birth:
[b ɜː ð]
* other:
[ɐ ð ə]
Occurrences:
918
Examples:
* hales:
[ç ej ɫ z]
* hindu:
[ç ɪ n d ʉː]
* haifa:
[ç ej f ə]
* higgs:
[ç ɪ ɡ z]
Occurrences:
3,505
Examples:
* harms:
[h ɑː m z]
* hebei:
[h ɛ bʲ iː]
* hulks:
[h ɐ ɫ k s]
* hull:
[h ɐ ɫ]

Approximant
Occurrences:
3,763
Examples:
* swab:
[s w ɒ b]
* waive:
[w ej v]
* woman:
[w ʊ m ə n]
* went:
[w ɛ n t]
Occurrences:
25,223
Examples:
* wary:
[w ɛː ɹ i]
* droid:
[d ɹ ɔj d]
* vraic:
[v ɹ ej k]
* trade:
[t ɹ ej d]
Occurrences:
1,365
Examples:
* yahoo:
[j ə h ʉː]
* gpus:
[dʒ iː pʰ iː j ʉː z]
* idiot:
[ɪ dʲ i j ɪ t]
* suits:
[s j ʉː t s]

Lateral
Occurrences:
11,675
Examples:
* logs:
[l ɒ ɡ z]
* lap:
[l a p]
* lacy:
[l ej s i]
* solos:
[s əw l əw z]
Occurrences:
10,353
Examples:
* wahl:
[w ɒ ɫ]
* kamal:
[kʰ ɑː m ə ɫ]
* quell:
[kʷ ɛ ɫ]
* anal:
[ə n ɐ ɫ]
Occurrences:
280
Examples:
* title:
[tʰ aj t ɫ̩]
* medal:
[m ɛ d ɫ̩]
* viral:
[v aj ɫ̩]
* local:
[l əw k ɫ̩]
Occurrences:
8,148
Examples:
* alice:
[a ʎ ɪ s]
* lifts:
[ʎ ɪ f t s]
* olin:
[ɒ ʎ ɪ n]
* surly:
[s ɜː ʎ i]

Vowels#

Vowel symbols to the left of are unrounded and those to the right are rounded.

Front

Near-Front

Central

Near-Back

Back

Close
Occurrences:
12,257
Examples:
* dusky:
[d ɐ s c i]
* weedy:
[w iː dʲ i]
* poppy:
[pʰ ɒ pʲ i]
* kohli:
[kʰ əw ʎ i]
Occurrences:
8,855
Examples:
* even:
[iː n]
* email:
[iː m ej ɫ]
* gees:
[ɟ iː s]
* meta:
[mʲ iː t ə]
Occurrences:
815
Examples:
* spume:
[s pʲ ʉ m]
* rome:
[ɹ ʉ m]
* mura:
[m ʉ ɹ ə]
* gucci:
[ɡ ʉ tʃ i]
Occurrences:
5,762
Examples:
* cum:
[cʰ ʉː m]
* boone:
[b ʉː n]
* music:
[mʲ ʉː z ɪ k]
* skuas:
[s k ʉː ə z]
Occurrences:
42,515
Examples:
* width:
[w ɪ d ð]
* wirra:
[w ɪ ɹ ə]
* alim:
[ɑː ʎ ɪ m]
* sere:
[s ɪ ə]
Occurrences:
2,933
Examples:
* bole:
[b ɒ ʊ ɫ]
* ghoul:
[ɡ ʊ ə ɫ]
* yuan:
[j ʊ ɑː n]
* whoop:
[w ʊ p]

Close-Mid
Occurrences:
1
Examples:
Occurrences:
10,028
Examples:
* plato:
[p l ej tʰ əw]
* sails:
[s ej ɫ z]
* cain:
[cʰ ej n]
* flake:
[f l ej k]
Occurrences:
52,823
Examples:
* hovel:
[h ɒ v ə ɫ]
* devon:
[dʲ iː v ə n]
* raper:
[ɹ ej p ə]
* nagar:
[n ɑː ɡ ə]

Open-Mid
Occurrences:
15,172
Examples:
* welch:
[w ɛ ɫ tʃ]
* lopez:
[l əw pʰ ɛ z]
* gomez:
[ɡ əw m ɛ z]
* ellis:
[ɛ ʎ ɪ s]
Occurrences:
1,043
Examples:
* fared:
[f ɛː d]
* aaron:
[ɛː ə n]
* dairy:
[d ɛː ɹ i]
* nary:
[n ɛː ɹ i]
Occurrences:
193
Examples:
* wirth:
[w ɜ θ]
* wyrd:
[w ɜ d]
* furor:
[fʲ ɜ ɹ ə]
* turok:
[tʰ ɜ k]
Occurrences:
3,192
Examples:
* sturm:
[s t ɜː m]
* bernd:
[b ɜː n d]
* kabir:
[kʰ ə b ɜː]
* birth:
[b ɜː ð]
Occurrences:
6,294
Examples:
* gusto:
[ɡ ɐ s t əw]
* gusts:
[ɡ ɐ s t s]
* guns:
[ɡ ɐ n z]
* cups:
[kʰ ɐ p s]

Open
Occurrences:
14,064
Examples:
* llano:
[j a n əw]
* nancy:
[n a n s i]
* hats:
[h a t s]
* allan:
[a l ə n]
Occurrences:
737
Examples:
* utada:
[ʉ tʰ ɑ d ə]
* cafes:
[kʰ ɑ f ɛ s]
* baths:
[b ɑ ð z]
* sahni:
[s ɑ ɲ i]
Occurrences:
5,465
Examples:
* cadiz:
[kʰ ɑː dʲ ɪ z]
* gant:
[ɡ ɑː n t]
* adhan:
[ɑː ð ɑː n]
* our:
[ɑː]
Occurrences:
10,017
Examples:
* macon:
[m ə kʰ ɒ n]
* nods:
[n ɒ d z]
* smock:
[s m ɒ k]
* combi:
[kʰ ɒ m bʲ i]
Occurrences:
4,926
Examples:
* shaun:
[ʃ ɒː n]
* tort:
[tʰ ɒː t]
* gored:
[ɡ ɒː d]
* mohr:
[m ɒː]

Diphthongs#

  • aj

  • aw

  • ej

  • ɔj

  • əw

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