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The ability to transcribe speech phonetically and to analyse spoken data phonologically is a core skill for AQA A-Level English Language. Whether you are examining accent variation, connected speech processes, or prosodic features, you need to be able to work with phonetic transcription and spoken data systematically and confidently. This lesson provides practical guidance on transcription methods, data analysis techniques, and exam strategy.
There are several levels of transcription, each serving a different purpose:
An orthographic transcription is a written representation of speech using standard spelling. It captures what was said but not how it was said:
"I was going to go to the shop but I couldn't be bothered"
A phonemic transcription uses IPA symbols between forward slashes to represent the phonemes of the utterance:
/aɪ wɒz ˈgəʊɪŋ tə gəʊ tə ðə ʃɒp bʌt aɪ ˈkʊdnt bi ˈbɒðəd/
This level captures the contrastive sound segments but not fine phonetic detail.
A phonetic transcription uses IPA symbols in square brackets to capture fine articulatory detail, including allophonic variation:
[aɪ wɒz ˈgəʊɪŋ tə gəʊ tə ðə ʃɒp bʌʔ aɪ ˈkʰʊdn̩ʔ bi ˈbɒðəd]
This level might capture features such as glottal replacement of /t/, aspiration of voiceless plosives, syllabic consonants, and other allophonic detail.
A prosodic transcription adds information about stress, intonation, pausing, and other suprasegmental features:
"I was GOing to go to the SHOP (.) but I COULDn't be BOTHered ↘"
When working with spoken data in the AQA exam, you will encounter transcripts that use specific conventions. You should be familiar with the following notation:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| (.) | Micropause (less than 0.2 seconds) |
| (1.0), (2.0), etc. | Timed pause in seconds |
| ↗ or / | Rising intonation |
| ↘ or \ | Falling intonation |
| CAPITALS | Stressed syllable or word |
| bold or underlining | Emphasis (varies by transcription system) |
| [ ] | Overlapping speech (two speakers talking at once) |
| = | Latching (one speaker begins immediately as another finishes) |
| :: | Sound lengthening |
| - | Word cut off / false start |
| (( )) | Non-verbal sounds or contextual notes, e.g., ((laughs)), ((door slams)) |
| hhh | Audible breathing |
Key Definition: Transcription conventions — the standardised symbols and notation used in linguistic transcription to represent features of speech such as pauses, stress, intonation, overlap, and non-verbal sounds. Different transcription systems (e.g., Jefferson transcription) use slightly different conventions.
When you are presented with spoken data in the exam and asked to analyse its phonological features, follow this systematic approach:
Before analysing the phonological features, establish the context:
Look for consonant and vowel features that indicate the speaker's regional or social accent:
| Feature Category | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Vowel features | BATH/TRAP split, FOOT/STRUT split, GOAT realisation, FACE realisation, PRICE realisation, vowel mergers |
| Consonant features | Rhoticity, h-dropping, glottalisation, th-fronting, yod-dropping, l-vocalisation |
| Overall pattern | Do the features point to a particular regional accent or sociolect? |
Look for evidence of:
If the transcription includes prosodic notation, comment on:
The crucial step: link features to effects and meanings. Do not simply list phonological features — explain what they reveal about the speaker, the situation, and the communication:
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