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English MFA dictionary v2.0.0a#

  • Maintainer: Montreal Forced Aligner

  • Language: English

  • Dialect: N/A

  • Phone set: MFA

  • Number of words: 93,863

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

  • License: CC BY 4.0

  • Compatible MFA version: v2.0.0

  • Citation:

@techreport{mfa_english_mfa_dictionary_2022,
	author={McAuliffe, Michael and Sonderegger, Morgan},
	title={English MFA dictionary v2.0.0a},
	address={\url{https://mfa-models.readthedocs.io/pronunciation dictionary/English/English MFA dictionary v2_0_0a.html}},
	year={2022},
	month={May},
}

Acoustic models
../../_images/full_logo_yellow.svg

Installation#

Install from the MFA command line:

mfa model download dictionary english_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.

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:
38,529
Examples:
* toman:
[t ʰ o w m n ̩]
* mirth:
[m ɝ θ]
* miele:
[m ʲ i ː ɫ]
* mewks:
[m ʲ ʉ ː k s]
Occurrences:
4,166
Examples:
* medea:
[m ʲ i d ʲ i ː a]
* mimi:
[m ɪ m ʲ i]
* pumy:
[p ʲ ʉ ː m ʲ i]
* meme:
[m ʲ i ː m]
Occurrences:
2,656
Examples:
* hokum:
[h o w k m ̩]
* oram:
[ɒ ː m ̩]
* sodom:
[s ɑ ɾ m ̩]
* chasm:
[c ʰ æ z m ̩]
Occurrences:
2,267
Examples:
* info:
[ɪ ɱ f o w]
* infix:
[ɪ ɱ f ɪ k s]
* oomph:
[ʉ ɱ f]
* comfy:
[k ʰ ɐ ɱ f ʲ i]
Occurrences:
67,052
Examples:
* neg:
[n ɛ ɡ]
* nisan:
[ɲ i ː s ɑ ː n]
* conda:
[k ʰ ɑ n d ə]
* abuna:
[ɑ b ʲ ʉ n ɑ]
Occurrences:
7,480
Examples:
* coven:
[k ʰ ɐ v n ̩]
* eoan:
[i o w n ̩]
* ryan:
[ɹ a j n ̩]
* luton:
[l ʉ ː ʔ n ̩]
Occurrences:
16,157
Examples:
* napa:
[ɲ æ p ə]
* napo:
[ɲ e j p ʰ ə w]
* nabk:
[ɲ æ b ə k]
* inyo:
[ɪ ɲ ə w]
Occurrences:
14,369
Examples:
* yonks:
[j ɒ ŋ k s]
* angus:
[æ ŋ ɡ ə s]
* tonks:
[t ʰ ɑ ŋ k s]
* prong:
[p ɹ ɑ ŋ]

Stop
Occurrences:
21,457
Examples:
* ayelp:
[ə j ɛ ɫ p]
* jumpy:
[d ʒ ɐ m p ʲ i]
* posse:
[p ʰ ɑ s i]
* cups:
[k ʰ ɐ p s]
Occurrences:
27,452
Examples:
* betsy:
[b ɛ t s i]
* brief:
[b ɹ i ː f]
* keble:
[c ʰ i ː b ɫ ̩]
* brien:
[b ɹ a j n ̩]
Occurrences:
108
Examples:
* both:
[b o w t ̪]
* thing:
[t ̪ ɪ ŋ]
* width:
[w ɪ t ̪]
* thumb:
[t ̪ ɐ m]
Occurrences:
224
Examples:
* with:
[w ɪ d ̪]
* they:
[d ̪ e j]
* thems:
[d ̪ m ̩ z]
* them:
[d ̪ m ̩]
Occurrences:
55,379
Examples:
* ranch:
[ɹ æ n t ʃ]
* peta:
[p ʰ i ː t ə]
* shot:
[ʃ ɑ t]
* fust:
[f ɐ s t]
Occurrences:
42,445
Examples:
* undo:
[ɐ n d ʉ ː]
* devas:
[d ɛ v ə s]
* egad:
[i ː ɡ æ d]
* jie:
[d ʒ i]
Occurrences:
9,946
Examples:
* honky:
[ɒ ː ɲ c i]
* creek:
[c ɹ i ː k]
* cack:
[c ʰ æ k]
* kilim:
[c ʰ i ʎ i m]
Occurrences:
5,970
Examples:
* gift:
[ɟ ɪ f t]
* greet:
[ɟ ɹ i ː t]
* gland:
[ɟ ʎ æ n d]
* game:
[ɟ e j m]
Occurrences:
33,321
Examples:
* kamba:
[k ʰ ɑ ː m b ə]
* mac:
[m æ k]
* cubby:
[k ʰ ɐ b ʲ i]
* marc:
[m ɑ ɹ k]
Occurrences:
14,178
Examples:
* gov:
[ɡ ɐ v]
* regal:
[ɹ i ː ɡ ɫ ̩]
* gown:
[ɡ a w n]
* cig:
[s ɪ ɡ]
Occurrences:
6,730
Examples:
* mute:
[m ʲ ʉ ː ʔ]
* orta:
[ɒ ː ʔ ə]
* lit:
[ʎ ɪ ʔ]
* butte:
[b ʲ ʉ ː ʔ]

Affricate
Occurrences:
8,697
Examples:
* chopp:
[t ʃ ɑ p]
* chon:
[t ʃ ɑ n]
* welch:
[w ɛ ɫ t ʃ]
* coach:
[k ʰ o w t ʃ]
Occurrences:
11,671
Examples:
* fiji:
[f ʲ i d ʒ i]
* jon:
[d ʒ ɑ n]
* cabg:
[c ʰ æ b ɪ d ʒ]
* josh:
[d ʒ ɑ ʃ]

Sibilant
Occurrences:
79,648
Examples:
* canis:
[c ʰ æ ɲ ɪ s]
* dixon:
[d ɪ k s ə n]
* butsu:
[b ʊ t s ʉ]
* vases:
[v æ s ɪ z]
Occurrences:
31,451
Examples:
* sines:
[s a j n z]
* pews:
[p ʲ ʉ ː z]
* jabs:
[d ʒ æ b z]
* coils:
[k ʰ ɔ j ɫ z]
Occurrences:
15,280
Examples:
* tule:
[t ʃ ʉ ː ʎ i]
* etude:
[e j t ʃ ʉ ː d]
* stash:
[s t æ ʃ]
* who:
[d ɐ b ɫ ̩ j ʉ ː e j t ʃ o w]
Occurrences:
1,226
Examples:
* jut:
[d ʒ ɐ t]
* regex:
[ɹ ɛ d ʒ ɛ k s]
* jokes:
[d ʒ o w k s]
* dig:
[d ɪ d ʒ]

Fricative
Occurrences:
20,600
Examples:
* forbs:
[f ɒ ː b z]
* golf:
[ɡ ɑ ɫ f]
* fall:
[f ɒ ɫ]
* foe:
[f o w]
Occurrences:
2,615
Examples:
* feuds:
[f ʲ ʉ ː d z]
* fink:
[f ʲ i ŋ k]
* fusel:
[f ʲ ʉ ː z ɫ ̩]
* rafi:
[ɹ ɑ ː f ʲ i]
Occurrences:
14,770
Examples:
* garve:
[ɡ ɑ ː v]
* ogive:
[o w d ʒ a j v]
* via:
[v a j ə]
* evert:
[i v ɝ t]
Occurrences:
1,708
Examples:
* uvula:
[j ʉ ː v ʲ ʊ l ə]
* civvy:
[s ɪ v ʲ i]
* vig:
[v ʲ i ɡ]
* civey:
[s ɪ v ʲ i]
Occurrences:
5,746
Examples:
* werth:
[w ɜ ː θ]
* garth:
[ɡ ɑ ɹ θ]
* thunk:
[θ ɐ ŋ k]
* theo:
[θ i o w]
Occurrences:
1,326
Examples:
* thus:
[ð ɐ s]
* rathe:
[ɹ e j ð]
* kithe:
[c ʰ a j ð]
* paths:
[p ʰ æ ð z]
Occurrences:
2,104
Examples:
* haem:
[ç i ː m]
* hib:
[ç ɪ b]
* haydn:
[ç e j ɾ ə n]
* hitt:
[ç i t]
Occurrences:
8,413
Examples:
* haxor:
[h æ k s ɒ ɹ]
* het:
[h ɛ t]
* hilum:
[h a j l m ̩]
* homey:
[h o w m ʲ i]

Approximant
Occurrences:
12,066
Examples:
* cmos:
[s i ː ɛ m ə w z]
* tasso:
[t ʰ æ s o w]
* bald:
[b ə w ɫ d]
* wears:
[w ɛ ɹ z]
Occurrences:
70,152
Examples:
* fro:
[f ɹ o w]
* frosh:
[f ɹ ɒ ʃ]
* resto:
[ɹ ɛ s t ə w]
* orse:
[ɒ ɹ s]
Occurrences:
3,260
Examples:
* virid:
[v a j ɹ ɪ d]
* yet:
[j ɛ t]
* dire:
[d a j ɹ]
* hired:
[h a j ɹ d]

Tap
Occurrences:
10,267
Examples:
* fatal:
[f e j ɾ ɫ ̩]
* blady:
[b l e j ɾ i]
* roti:
[ɹ o w ɾ i]
* judah:
[d ʒ ʉ ː ɾ ə]

Lateral
Occurrences:
28,850
Examples:
* tcler:
[t ʰ ɪ k l ɚ]
* lundy:
[l ɐ n d ʲ i]
* layin:
[l e j ɪ n]
* plots:
[p l ɑ t s]
Occurrences:
16,542
Examples:
* alecy:
[e j ɫ s i]
* sele:
[s i ː ɫ]
* hoyle:
[h ɔ j ɫ ̩]
* bebel:
[b e j b ɫ ̩]
Occurrences:
8,114
Examples:
* cupel:
[c ʰ ʉ ː p ɫ ̩]
* ewell:
[j ʉ ː ɫ ̩]
* duval:
[d ʲ ʉ ː v ɫ ̩]
* idle:
[a j ɾ ɫ ̩]
Occurrences:
20,139
Examples:
* delia:
[d ʲ i ː ʎ ɪ ə]
* clip:
[c ʎ ɪ p]
* luau:
[ʎ ʉ a w]
* marly:
[m ɑ ɹ 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:
62,307
Examples:
* okdk:
[ə w c ɪ d ə w c i]
* megan:
[m ʲ i ː ɡ n ̩]
* tariq:
[t ʰ a ɹ i k]
* kiel:
[c ʰ i ɫ]
Occurrences:
17,759
Examples:
* fetus:
[f ʲ i ː ɾ ə s]
* jine:
[d ʒ i ː n]
* beads:
[b ʲ i ː d z]
* aacdp:
[e j e j s i ː d ʲ i ː p ʰ i ː]
Occurrences:
2,910
Examples:
* poops:
[p ʰ ʉ ː p s]
* ensue:
[ɪ n s ʉ ː]
* bute:
[b ʲ ʉ ː t]
* hew:
[ç ʉ ː]
Occurrences:
9,006
Examples:
* ousia:
[ʉ ː s ɪ ə]
* glute:
[ɟ ʎ ʉ ː t]
* kuru:
[k ʰ ʊ ɹ ʉ ː]
* susu:
[s ɐ s ʉ ː]
Occurrences:
3,895
Examples:
* nuer:
[n u ː a]
* roofs:
[ɹ u ː f s]
* bubo:
[b ʲ u ː b o]
* poof:
[p ʰ u ː f]
Occurrences:
4,365
Examples:
* hoot:
[h u ː t]
* lues:
[l u ː i ː z]
* rus:
[ɹ u ː s]
* tuvan:
[t ʃ u ː v a n]
Occurrences:
73,922
Examples:
* whish:
[w ɪ ʃ]
* jakin:
[d ʒ e j c ɪ n]
* muniz:
[m ʲ ʉ ː ɲ ɪ t s]
* muses:
[m ʲ ʉ ː z ɪ z]
Occurrences:
7,940
Examples:
* huron:
[ç ʊ ɹ ɑ n]
* fully:
[f ʊ ʎ i]
* pula:
[p ʰ ʊ l ə]
* wud:
[w ʊ d]

Close-Mid
Occurrences:
6,865
Examples:
* raid:
[ɹ e j d]
* deify:
[d e j ə f a j]
* grego:
[ɟ ɹ e j ɡ ə w]
* made:
[m e j d]
Occurrences:
17,938
Examples:
* ame:
[e j m ʲ i]
* waves:
[w e j v z]
* jays:
[d ʒ e j z]
* rays:
[ɹ e j z]
Occurrences:
6,444
Examples:
* junco:
[d ʒ ɐ ŋ k o w]
* cello:
[s ɛ l o w]
* rhoda:
[ɹ o w ɾ ə]
* polk:
[p ʰ o w ɫ k]
Occurrences:
10,138
Examples:
* close:
[k l o w s]
* tyro:
[t ʰ a j ɹ o w]
* oding:
[o w d ʲ i ː ɪ ŋ]
* vitro:
[v ʲ i ː t ɹ o w]
Occurrences:
71,603
Examples:
* porto:
[p ʰ ɒ ː t ʰ ə w]
* grope:
[ɡ ɹ ə w p]
* allen:
[æ l ə n]
* sligo:
[s l a j ɡ ə w]
Occurrences:
9,455
Examples:
* solar:
[s o w l ɚ]
* armor:
[ɑ ɹ m ɚ]
* sider:
[s a j ɾ ɚ]
* oder:
[o w ɾ ɚ]

Open-Mid
Occurrences:
43,024
Examples:
* cares:
[c ʰ ɛ ɹ z]
* egdon:
[ɛ ɡ d ə n]
* ucla:
[j ʉ s i ɛ l e j]
* lnav:
[ɛ l ɲ e j v]
Occurrences:
1,534
Examples:
* verde:
[v ɛ ː d e j]
* fared:
[f ɛ ː d]
* layer:
[l ɛ ː]
* vair:
[v ɛ ː]
Occurrences:
312
Examples:
* turku:
[t ʰ ɜ k ʉ ː]
* irvin:
[ɜ ː v ɪ n]
* urn:
[ɜ ː n]
* curse:
[k ʰ ɜ ː s]
Occurrences:
3,347
Examples:
* skirt:
[s k ɜ ː t]
* lure:
[l ɜ ː]
* irma:
[ɜ ː m ə]
* yern:
[j ɜ ː n]
Occurrences:
3,483
Examples:
* merc:
[m ɝ k]
* first:
[f ɝ s t]
* burrs:
[b ɝ z]
* erles:
[ɝ ɫ z]
Occurrences:
21,365
Examples:
* ducky:
[d ɔ c ʰ i]
* joins:
[d ʒ ɔ j n z]
* gaw:
[ɡ ɔ]
* savoy:
[s ə v ɔ j]
Occurrences:
25,228
Examples:
* rash:
[ɹ æ ʃ]
* brans:
[b ɹ æ n z]
* fangs:
[f æ ŋ z]
* tampa:
[t ʰ æ m p ə]
Occurrences:
11,030
Examples:
* cups:
[k ʰ ɐ p s]
* m'lud:
[m ɪ l ɐ d]
* sucky:
[s ɐ c i]
* unget:
[ɐ ɲ ɟ ɛ t]

Open
Occurrences:
32,215
Examples:
* nigh:
[n a j]
* lisa:
[l a j z ə]
* rheas:
[ɹ i ː a z]
* there:
[d ̪ e a]
Occurrences:
1,879
Examples:
* quirt:
[k w a ː t]
* blurs:
[b l a ː z]
* loess:
[l a ː s]
* dern:
[d a ː n]
Occurrences:
11,332
Examples:
* hock:
[h ɑ k]
* darts:
[d ɑ ɹ t s]
* darla:
[d ɑ ɹ l ə]
* task:
[t ʰ ɑ ː s k]
Occurrences:
6,813
Examples:
* laos:
[l ɑ ː o w s]
* parse:
[p ʰ ɑ ː z]
* drama:
[d ɹ ɑ ː m ə]
* yamen:
[j ɑ ː m n ̩]
Occurrences:
15,695
Examples:
* rioja:
[ɹ i ː ɒ k ə]
* scots:
[s k ɒ t s]
* laude:
[l ɒ ː d]
* skald:
[s k ɒ ː ɫ d]
Occurrences:
5,974
Examples:
* acorn:
[e j k ʰ ɒ ː n]
* daub:
[d ɒ ː b]
* chaw:
[t ʃ ɒ ː]
* caut:
[k ʰ ɒ ː t]

Diphthongs#

  • aj

  • aw

  • ej

  • ow

  • ɔj

  • əw

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