Italian Cued Speech

**This article uses the adaptive notation system you selected in you profile. You will also notice that many phonemes are written using the International Phonetic Alphabet. This is because some phonemes in Italian do not exist in American English and no equivalent could be shown.

Italian Cued Speech, or Linguaggio Suggerito, was adapted in 1969 by Dr. Cornett and Lucio Rossi. Instructional materials included audiotape lessons. Italian Cued Speech is also called Parola Totalmente Accessibile (PITA). 

Consonants

Handshape Phonemes Examples
/d/, /p/, /ʃshshʃshshʃshsh/, (/dz/)1 dire (to say), pizza, scelto (choice), (zero (zero))
/lllllllll/, /vvvvvvvvv/, /z/ parola, andavi (you went), pericoloso (dangerous)
/s/, /r/ pasto (meal), Roma (Roma)
/n/, /b/, /ts/ Napoli (Naples), bianco (white), grazie (thank you)
/m/, /f/, /t/, no consonant madre (mother), farmacia (pharmacy), tu (you)
/k/, /ɲ/, /ʧchchʧchchʧchch/ casa (house), gnocco (dumpling), amici (friends)
/ʎ/, /g/, /ʤjjʤjjʤjj/ figlio (like /llllllllljyyjyyjyy/ as in million in English), gamba (leg), gioco (game)

1Only if the distinction between /ts/ and /dz/ is desired. Otherwise, both are cued with handshape 4. 

Vowels

Placement Name Vowel Phonemes Examples

Posizione alla gola

(throat placement)

/ɑäahɑäahɑäah/, /iēeeiēeeiēee/, /uo͞oueuo͞oueuo͞oue/ libera (free), invidia (envy), musica (music)

Posizione al mento

(chin placement)

/o/2, /e/3 ombra (shade), elefante (elephant)

Posizione laterale

(side placement)

For a consonant not immediately followed by a vowel.  

2No distinction is made between /o/ (which is similar to a short version of the English vowel in no) and /ɔôawɔôawɔôaw/.

3No distinction is made between /e/ (which is like a short version of the English vowel in state) and /ɛěehɛěehɛěeh/.