The new edition of this book applies the principles of Natural Phonetics & Tonetics to describe the pronunciation of Japanese, including intonation, in a precise way never found in earlier treatises (even those by native phoneticians). It includes an introduction to the Natural Phonotonetics Method, which can be used for any other language, as well (without the sadly known limitations of official IPA).
The vowels, consonants, structures, and intonation of Japanese are fully described and transcribed, with many examples of words, sentences, and conversations, in addition to the intonationally integrated IPA sample passage 'The North Wind and the Sun'.
Different types of Japanese pronunciation are described, including neutral, mediatic, and 20 local accents (and one diachronic stage).
A mini-phono-dictionary contains more than 500 words and proper names usually puzzling and challenging especially for foreigners.
In addition to the typical Japanese pronunciation by foreign speakers, in the second edition the typical pronunciation of English by Japanese speakers is also included.
The text has also been thoroughly amended especially for the transcriptions of its complicated tonetic structures and symbols.
Luciano Canepari, Natural Phonotonetics, University of Venice, Italy, originally trained in the British phonetic tradition, later on he developed the Natural Phonotonetics Method. For Lincom he published (among others): A Handbook of Pronunciation and Natural Phonetics & Tonetics and English Pronunciation & Accents and German Pronunciation & Accents and French Pronunciation & Accents and Portuguese Pronunciation & Accents; in addition to Dutch & Afrikaans Pronunciation & Accents and Chinese Pronunciation & Accents and Arabic Pronunciation & Accents (the three with M. Cerini), and Hindi Pronunciation & Accents (with G. Sharma), and Turkish Pronunciation & Accents (with F. Balzi), and Spanish Pronunciation & Accents (forth. with R. Miotti), and Russian Pronunciation & Accents (forth. with D. Vitali).
Francesca Miscio, Italian & Japanese Natural Phonotonetics, Musashino University of Music, Tokyo, Japan.