Phoneticizes

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Writes or transcribes spoken sounds using phonetic symbols or a simplified spelling system ; alters pronunciation so that it follows a regular phonetic pattern
2. Records the sounds of language with a set of phonetic letters or characters ; adjusts how words are spoken so they match a consistent sound-based system
3. Expresses speech in a phonetic script or spelling ; reshapes the pronunciation of words to fit a systematic sound scheme

Etymology: "Phoneticizes" is the third-person singular present form of "phoneticize", a verb meaning to render speech sounds in a phonetic script or to make a spelling system follow pronunciation. The base word is "phonetic", from Greek "phōnētikos", relating to sound or voice, built on "phōnē" meaning voice or sound. The ending "-ize" comes from Greek "-izein", a suffix that turns nouns and adjectives into verbs meaning to make or treat something in a certain way. Put together, "phoneticize" means to make something phonetic, that is, to convert written or spoken language into a form that represents its sounds directly. The verb is a straightforward English formation, combining a Greek-derived adjective with a productive Greek verb suffix, and its literal sense of "making sound-based" has changed little from its construction.

Synonyms: transcribe, spell phonetically