The International Phonetic Association

Abstract

The following text is taken from the pamphlet entitled The Principles of the International Phonetic Association , published by the International Phonetics Association (1949 edition). A short history of the Association Phonetique Internationale The Association Phonetique Internationale (in English, International Phonetic Association , in German, Weltlautschriftverein ) was inaugurated in 1886, under the title of The Phonetic Teachers' Association , by a small group of language teachers in France who had found phonetic theory and phonetic transcription of value in connexion with their work, and who wished to popularise the methods that they had found so useful. A journal entitled Dhi Fonetik Titcer was started in May of that year, under the editorship of Paul Passy. It was a unique periodical, in that its contents were printed entirely in phonetic transcript. At first the Association concerned itself mainly with phonetics as applied to the teaching of English, but the membership was international from the very start. (Incidentally, Otto Jespersen became a member in June, 1886, Wilhelm Vietor in July, 1886, Henry Sweet and J. A. Lundell in September, 1886.) Soon a demand arose for phonetic texts in languages other than English, and for articles dealing with general phonetic problems.