Peter Ladefoged

Peter Ladefoged (17 September 1925 – 24 January 2006) was a British linguist and a phonetician.

Quotes

• The International Phonetic Association is like the Episcopal church. One can hold almost any theoretical position as long as one gets the symbols right.
  • His email signature.
• It was really [David] Whitteridge who taught me to be a scientist.
  • Ladefoged's informal CV^{[specific citation needed]}; on his becoming a scientist.
• I wanted to find out why Shelley could write better-sounding poetry than I.
  • Los Angeles Times (1970)^{[specific citation needed]}; on why he chose to pursue phonetics.
• [It's] not our decision to make. It's up to the people themselves.
  • National Public Radio (1999)^{[specific citation needed]}; on the preservation of languages.
• My immediate answer was, 'I don't have a singing butler and three maids who sing, but I will tell you what I can as an assistant professor.'
  • Los Angeles Times (2004)^{[specific citation needed]}; on his response to Cukor's request to assist Rex Harrison to behave like a phonetician.

Quotes about Ladefoged

• He did extensive linguistic fieldwork on a scale it had not been done before, and when he brought it back from the field he found ways to use sophisticated laboratory equipment to analyze his recordings.
  • Patricia Keating, UCLA, on Ladefoged's contribution to his field.^{[citation needed]}