text_original: The Mediterranean, which for four hundred years had been a mere backwater of commerce, rapidly regained the position it had lost.
text_transcription: THE MEDITERRANEAN WHICH FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS HAD BEEN A MERE BACKWATER OF COMMERCE RAPIDLY REGAINED THE POSITION IT HAD LOST
phonemes: ðə mˌɛdɪɾɪɹˈeɪniən, wˌɪtʃ fɔːɹ fˈɔːɹ hˈʌndɹɪd jˈɪɹz hɐdbɪn ɐ mˈɪɹ bˈækwɔːɾɚɹ ʌv kˈɑːmɜːs, ɹˈæpɪdli ɹᵻɡˈeɪnd ðə pəzˈɪʃən ɪt hæd lˈɔst.