{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.025423728813559324, 'fraction_numerical': 0.0012106537530266344, 'mean_word_length': 5.099630996309963, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
A Handbook of Diction for Singers


 The 3rd edition of A Handbook of Diction for Singers is a guide to help classical singers achieve professional levels of lyric diction in Italian, French, and German, the three major languages of classical vocal repertory. It serves as a textbook for student singers, as well as a reference for voice teachers, vocal coaches, and conductors. The presentation is based on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The newly created chapter 1, “An Introduction to Specific Sounds,” introduces the relevant phonetic symbols, with descriptions of how each sound is produced and reference to the positioning of the articulators (tongue, jaw, lips, glottis) for each sound. Comparison of sample words from each language, including English, are provided. Each of the three languages is given its own chapter, with discussion not only of the sounds but also of features such as diacritical marks, words stress, vowel length, syllabification, and word structure. Example words have been expanded from previous editions, and most words are translated into English and transcribed into phonetic symbols. There are multiple musical examples, as well as basic exercises for specific sounds and IPA transcription (a new feature). Fine points not available from other textbooks are covered, such as extensive information on the open and close vowels sounds of e and o in Italian, sequencing of consonant sounds and word structure in German, and vowel length and details of the treatment of mute e in French. Additional resources are discussed for each language and sample texts are given with IPA transcriptions and translations.