Why should I bother learning the IPA symbols, especially the funny-looking ones? Why not just write words the way they sound to me?
Sure, some of the IPA symbols look pretty strange, but there are some definite advantages to using them. First, other people will be able to read and make sense out of them — people like voice teachers and coaches, linguists and other language specialists. In other words, IPA communicates. Second, the IPA is consistent. A symbol always stands for the same basic sound, regardless of context or language. Third, it’s clear. What a word “sounds like” to you today may not make any sense to you later when you try to remember what you meant by a bunch of strange scribble. At least you can always look up what your transcription should sound like. It’s true that the IPA is not a shortcut, as so many people claim. Sometimes the transcription is longer than the original word. But it’s the best way we’ve found to communicate some pretty complex ideas about sounds.
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