Is IPA that much of a joke? Can one use a dictionary that is non translation? Is the book French to English? Accent is not a consideration. While written English is non phonetic compared with alphabets that use visual accents, IPA is in itself a separate language that would require lessons to decipher. Why’s IPA not useful for phonetics? If you break down words into sections and liken sections to general knowledge words or sounds, you can find them in books or a dictionary. The Wikipedia entry on “Roosevelt” is the best example of this. Why doesn’t I make IPA available for people who are searching over there? Far easier would be “rose

a Velt”.