the shaw phonetic alphabet
in his will, george bernard shaw instructed his executors to offer a reward of £500 for a totally new set of characters, not based on any previous alphabets, to represent all the sounds in the english language. some thought this to be shaw’s last sarcastic joke, and indeed this aspect of his will was contested. however, in 1958 a committee selected a submission. In 1962 penguin books published an edition of shaw’s androcles and the lion with english text in roman letters and the shaw phonetic alphabet on the facing pages. this was the only book ever printed in this type.
from the aiga journal of graphic design 15, no. 2.
