The IPA is the major as well
as the oldest representative organization for phoneticians. It was established
in 1886 in Paris. 2011 marked the 125th anniversary of the founding of the IPA.
The aim of the IPA is to promote the scientific study
of phonetics and the various practical applications of that science.
In furtherance of this aim, the IPA provides the academic
community world-wide with a notational standard for the phonetic representation
of all languages - the International Phonetic Alphabet (also IPA).
The latest version of the IPA Alphabet was published in 2005.
