text_original: The Chief Official looked at me thoughtfully for half a moment, and then retired in silence—to have the door mat he had just vacated immediately monopolised by the builder, who had been waiting respectfully in the background. (I say background, because I can't think of any other comprehensive term that signifies a couple of narrow, wobbly, muddy planks, laid across a well filled moat; _ground_ there was none.)
text_transcription: THE CHIEF OFFICIAL LOOKED AT ME THOUGHTFULLY FOR HALF A MOMENT AND THEN RETIRED IN SILENCE TO HAVE THE DOOR MAT HE HAD JUST VACATED IMMEDIATELY MONOPOLISED BY THE BUILDER WHO HAD BEEN WAITING RESPECTFULLY IN THE BACKGROUND I SAY BACKGROUND BECAUSE I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER COMPREHENSIVE TERM THAT SIGNIFIES A COUPLE OF NARROW WOBBLY MUDDY PLANKS LAID ACROSS A WELL FILLED MOAT GROUND THERE WAS NONE
phonemes: ðə tʃˈiːf əfˈɪʃəl lˈʊkt æt mˌiː θˈɔːtfəli fɔːɹ hˈæf ɐ mˈoʊmənt, ænd ðˈɛn ɹᵻtˈaɪɚd ɪn sˈaɪləns—tə hæv ðə dˈɔːɹ mˈæt hiː hæd dʒˈʌst vˈeɪkeɪɾᵻd ɪmˈiːdɪətli mənˈɑːpəlˌaɪst baɪ ðə bˈɪldɚ, hˌuː hɐdbɪn wˈeɪɾɪŋ ɹᵻspˈɛktfəli ɪnðə bˈækɡɹaʊnd. (aɪ sˈeɪ bˈækɡɹaʊnd, bɪkˈʌz aɪ kˈænt θˈɪŋk ʌv ˌɛni ˈʌðɚ kˌɑːmpɹihˈɛnsɪv tˈɜːm ðæt sˈɪɡnᵻfˌaɪz ɐ kˈʌpəl ʌv nˈæɹoʊ, wˈɑːbli, mˈʌdi plˈæŋks, lˈeɪd əkɹˌɑːs ɐ wˈɛl fˈɪld mˈoʊt; ɡɹˈaʊnd ðɛɹwˌʌz nˈʌn.)