IPA trouble

[nq:1]Will someone please translate these IPA symbols to plain English?[/nq]
The colon refers to lengthening of the sound designated by any preceding symbol.
[nq:1]1. i colon backwards-3[/nq]
i colon = a long i-sound, as the -ie- in "yield"

backwards-3 = a type of e-sound, as in "pen"
[nq:1]2. e colon backwards-c[/nq]
e colon = a long e-sound, as in the German "Pferd"

[nq:2]Will someone please translate these IPA symbols to plain English?[/nq]
[nq:1]The colon refers to lengthening of the sound designated by any preceding symbol.[/nq]
[nq:2]1. i colon backwards-3[/nq]
[nq:1]i colon = a long i-sound, as the -ie- in "yield" (...)[/nq]
There's a difference in terminology here, I think. The "ie" in "yield" is, to me, a long 'e' sound -- or possibly,

[nq:1]backwards-3 = a type of e-sound, as in "pen"[/nq]
As "pen" is pronounced in the northeast of the United States, or the southeast of England.
[nq:1]e colon = a long e-sound, as in the German "Pferd" (can't think of any English examples, but I'm sure someone can)[/nq]
As in "fate" as it is pronounced in Scotland.
[nq:1]ae-ligature colon = a cross between an a- and and e-sound,

[nq:2]Will someone please translate these IPA symbols to plain English?[/nq]
[nq:1]The colon refers to lengthening of the sound designated by any preceding symbol.[/nq]
[nq:2]1. i colon backwards-3[/nq]
[nq:1]i colon = a long i-sound, as the -ie- in "yield" backwards-3 = a type of e-sound, as in "pen"[/nq]
[nq:2]2. e colon backwards-c[/nq]
[nq:1]e colon = a long e-sound, as in

[nq:1]I expect every native speaker of English in this newsgroup was taught the following about English vowels. This is the traditional way of representing pronunciation, although I note that the Century Dictionary of 1895 at www.century-dictionary.com used only part of this system: (...)[/nq]
This native speaker of English doesn't remember being taught any of that. The only place that I ever

[nq:2]I expect every native speaker of English in this newsgroup ... 1895 at www.century-dictionary.com used only part of this system: (...)[/nq]
[nq:1]This native speaker of English doesn't remember being taught any of that. The only place that I ever came across ... knew how to pronounce. And I still do, for all but the most straightforward cases. -- Mike Barnes Cheshire, England[/nq]
W

[nq:1]Thanks for your help. But I think the sounds are supposed to be pronounced together as diphthongs (I'm getting this ... third one looks like it might be the au sound as in "out". I don't know about the other two.[/nq]
Well, just put the sounds together, and experiment. Unfortunately, I know next to nothing about Old English.

If you're happy with approximations, then here's a tr

(Email Removed)...
[nq:1]As the diphtong in some pronounciations of "hear". As the diphtong in some pronounciations of the name "Leo". As the diphtong in some pronounciations of the interjection "Paow".[/nq]
"in some pronounciations"? Very helpful.

If this is Old English, then they're only guesses anyway. They didn't have tape recorders in those days, so there is a lot of educate

[nq:1]An excellent question, and one I can't answer, because I'm working from a memory of very long ago. I'm sure ... long it was before the student was taught vowels other than the five "long vowels" and the five "short ones."[/nq]
We were taught (beginning in first grade) long and sort "oo" in elementary school, but we were also taught that the "vowels" were "a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y"

[nq:1]Will someone please translate these IPA symbols to plain English? 1. i colon backwards-3 2. e colon backwards-c 3. ae-ligature colon upsidedown-e[/nq]
http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/IPA/ipachart.html

-- John Varela