Phonetic reversal is the process of reversing the
phonemes
In phonology and linguistics, a phoneme () is a unit of sound that can distinguish one word from another in a particular language.
For example, in most dialects of English, with the notable exception of the West Midlands and the north-wes ...
or
phones
A telephone is a telecommunications device that permits two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are too far apart to be easily heard directly. A telephone converts sound, typically and most efficiently the human voice, into ele ...
of a
word
A word is a basic element of language that carries an objective or practical meaning, can be used on its own, and is uninterruptible. Despite the fact that language speakers often have an intuitive grasp of what a word is, there is no consen ...
or
phrase
In syntax and grammar, a phrase is a group of words or singular word acting as a grammatical unit. For instance, the English expression "the very happy squirrel" is a noun phrase which contains the adjective phrase "very happy". Phrases can con ...
. When the reversal is identical to the original, the word or phrase is called a
phonetic palindrome. Phonetic reversal is not entirely identical to
backmasking
Backmasking is a recording technique in which a message is recorded backward onto a track that is meant to be played forward. It is a deliberate process, whereas a message found through phonetic reversal may be unintentional.
Artists have ...
, which is specifically the reversal of
recorded sound. This is because
pronunciation
Pronunciation is the way in which a word or a language is spoken. This may refer to generally agreed-upon sequences of sounds used in speaking a given word or language in a specific dialect ("correct pronunciation") or simply the way a particular ...
in
speech
Speech is a human vocal communication using language. Each language uses phonetic combinations of vowel and consonant sounds that form the sound of its words (that is, all English words sound different from all French words, even if they are th ...
causes a reversed
diphthong
A diphthong ( ; , ), also known as a gliding vowel, is a combination of two adjacent vowel sounds within the same syllable. Technically, a diphthong is a vowel with two different targets: that is, the tongue (and/or other parts of the speech ...
to sound different in either direction (e.g. ''eye'' becoming ''yah'' ), or differently articulate a
consonant
In articulatory phonetics, a consonant is a speech sound that is articulated with complete or partial closure of the vocal tract. Examples are and pronounced with the lips; and pronounced with the front of the tongue; and pronounced ...
depending on where it lies in a word, hence creating an imperfect reversal.
Backmasking involves not only the reversal of the order of phonemes or phones, but the reversal of the
allophonic
In phonology, an allophone (; from the Greek , , 'other' and , , 'voice, sound') is a set of multiple possible spoken soundsor ''phones''or signs used to pronounce a single phoneme in a particular language. For example, in English, (as in ''s ...
realizations of those phonemes. Strictly speaking, a reversal of phonemes will still result in allophones appropriate for the new position; for example, if a word with a final /t/ is reversed so that the /t/ is initial, the initial /t/ will be aspirated in line with the conventional allophonic patterns of
English phonology
Like many other languages, English has wide variation in pronunciation, both historically and from dialect to dialect. In general, however, the regional dialects of English share a largely similar (but not identical) phonological system. Amo ...
.
According to proponents of
reverse speech, phonetic reversal occurs unknowingly during normal speech.
Examples
*In the 1974 album ''
Rock Bottom
Rock Bottom may refer to:
Music
* Rock Bottom Entertainment, an American record label
* ''Rock Bottom'' (album), by Robert Wyatt, 1974
Songs
* "Rock Bottom" (Hailee Steinfeld song), 2016
* "Rock Bottom" (Lynsey de Paul and Mike Moran song), ...
'', the track ''Little Red Riding Hood Hit the Road'' presented the chord progression along with
Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt (born Robert Wyatt-Ellidge, 28 January 1945) is a retired English musician. A founding member of the influential Canterbury scene bands Soft Machine and Matching Mole, he was initially a kit drummer and singer before becoming p ...
's singing being both phonetically reversed at one middle point of the song, which turned the track's harmonics to be reversed from the beginning although Robert Wyatt restarted to sing normally, causing an original and disturbing effect.
*In 1982, John Wright of
NoMeansNo sang phonetically reversed lyrics on the backing vocal to the "Rich Guns" track on the band's first album, ''Mama''.
*In the
1984 American film ''
Amadeus'', lead character
Wolfgang Mozart claims to
Constanze Weber
Maria Constanze Cäcilia Josepha Johanna Aloysia Mozart (née Weber; 5 January 1762 – 6 March 1842) was a trained Austrian singer. She was married twice, first to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; then to Georg Nikolaus von Nissen. She and Mozart had six ...
that "
n Salzburg">Salzburg.html" ;"title="n Salzburg">n Salzburgeverything goes backwards". He then proceeds to deliver a series of phonetically reversed phrases, many of them vulgar, which she must guess by reversing them out loud.
Script for ''Amadeus''
/ref>
*In the television drama ''Twin Peaks'', the Man from Another Place's character's speech was phonetically reversed.
*''The Simpsons'' used the technique to parody ''Twin Peaks'' in the episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two)".
*Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Jim Ure is better known by his phonetically reversed (first) name Midge Ure
James Ure (born 10 October 1953) is a Scottish musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. His stage name, Midge, is a phonetic reversal of Jim, the diminutive form of his actual name. Ure enjoyed particular success in the 1970s and 1980 ...
.
*Kate Bush
Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. In 1978, at the age of 19, she topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single " Wuthering Heights", becoming the first female ...
used phonetic reversal in her songs "Watching You Without Me" (1985) and "Leave it Open" (1982).
*The English rock band Radiohead used the effect on the song "Like Spinning Plates", released on their 2001 album ''Amnesiac''. Singer Thom Yorke sang the lyrics backwards; this recording was in turn reversed to create "backwards-sounding" vocals.Turntablist
Turntablism is the art of manipulating sounds and creating new music, sound effects, mixes and other creative sounds and beats, typically by using two or more turntables and a cross fader-equipped DJ mixer. The mixer is plugged into a PA system ...
DJs for this reason.
*In the 2008 monster film '' Cloverfield'', after the credits, a broken sound recording can be heard of Rob saying "...help us...", as at the end, he and his girlfriend were trapped under a bridge. If reversed, it sounds like Rob saying "...it’s still alive..."
*In 2007, backwards speaking radio sensation "Backwards Dave" (David Klempfner) beat the Guinness World Record Holder, David Fuhrer aka "Mr Backwards" in a backwards-speaking competition live on Triple J.
online Phonetic Reverser
was created in order to assist in speaking inputted English words or phrases in reverse.
External links
EV: Audio reversal in popular cultureBoy can talk fluently backward - Yahoo!7
(November 13, 2013)
References
{{reflist
Phonetics
Sound