Could IPA theoretically allow a person to pronounce a foreign language without an accent?

Question

Is the IPA system comprehensive enough that a person could pronounce a transcription of a foreign language (written in narrow transcription) well enough to pass as a native speaker, without ever having heard the language? Or are there linguistic idiosyncrasies in every language that can't be transcribed in IPA?

Answer 1

The IPA system is a phonological (not really phonetic) transcription system. It does classify phonemes and allophones, but does not really tell you exactly how to produce the sounds. It is also biassed toward segmental phonology, while the "typical" accents of languages are mostly suprasegmental phenomena.

Answer 2

I think you'd have to have a very narrow transcription, a native speaker with a very good ear, and a very short speech. Voice coaches will tell you that it's relatively easy to imitate a speech style for a brief period of time, but as it gets longer, it gets more difficult.

Answer 3

definite it particularly is, my boyfriend is extraordinarily sturdy at languages and makes a factor to earnings the words with the superb suited pronunciations very often in eating places he's complimented in this (French, Italian, jap and so on) to boot as while he meets human beings from those countries. i think of he could definitely be wrong for a close-by if he did no longer seem so English! i think of as interior sight English audio equipment our language may be particularly complicated (i.e pronunciations and so on) apparently we use numerous the muscle tissues in our mouths (this is why many foreign places human beings conflict with the pronunciations of specific words) whether i think that it particularly is often an benefit as we can for this reason %. up different accents and languages definitely - in user-friendly terms a theory :)