The alphabet of the International Phonetic Association is used. Pronunciation shown covers Received Pronunciation and General American assumes a modernized version of RP and also includes a number of British English near-RP forms. Both British and American varieties are covered. The words included cover not only ordinary and technical vocabulary, but also proper names, placenames, family names, personal names, names from literature and mythology and names of companies and commercial products. Short usage notes throughout the dictionary draw attention to possible pitfalls and to aspects of pronunciation which often present problems for learners of the language. In the introduction, the author discusses the general features of spoken English and discusses trends in speech. The 'Longman Pronunciation Dictionary' is designed to reflect English as it is spoken.
