Schedule 77. StuTS

Whenever I think of Peter Ladefoged, IPAnic. But then I remember: phonetics is fun! Still, the IPA can feel inconsistent, eurocentric, and visually arbitrary. This workshop introduces a featural alternative: ConFeWS, a CONstructed FEatural Writing System that reflects articulatory and acoustic properties through modular design. Attendees will learn to write and construct phonemes using ConFeWS - and maybe even question the orthographic status quo.

This workshop presents a featural phonetic writing system developed as an alternative to the IPA. Drawing inspiration from articulator representation (like lips, tongue, glottis) and acoustic properties (e.g. waveforms, rhythmic patterns), the system can encode phones and phonemes using modular, biologically-informed shapes. It emphasizes internal consistency and accessibility - including design considerations for dyslexia (e.g. asymmetrical distinctions). Participants will experiment with the writing system using pen and paper, learning to build and interpret characters based on phonetic features. The focus will be on creative exploration rather than mastery.

Note: This is not an introduction to the IPA. Participants are expected to have a basic familiarity with phonetic terminology and the IPA for comparative purposes.

Info

Day: 2025-05-17
Start time: 10:40
Duration: 01:00
Room: GWZ 2.216
Track: Phonetics/Phonology
Language: en

Links:

• iCalendar

Files

• Worksheet ConFeWS
• Cheetsheet IPA --> ConFeWS