text_original: Some of the larger towns oi Germany, those of the South which had prospered be  cause of their proximity to the great trade routes ; and those of the North which carried on commerical enter  prises by means of the Baltic and the North Sea, were independent of all but the Emperor, were recognised as estates of the realm capable of representation in the Imperial Diet, and were called Imperial Cities.
text_transcription: SOME OF THE LARGER TOWNS OF GERMANY THOSE OF THE SOUTH WHICH HAD PROSPERED BECAUSE OF THEIR PROXIMITY TO THE GREAT TRADE ROUTES AND THOSE OF THE NORTH WHICH CARRIED ON COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES BY MEANS OF THE BALTIC IN THE NORTH SEA WERE INDEPENDENT OF ALL BUT THE EMPEROR WERE RECOGNIZED AS THE STATES OF THE REALM CAPABLE OF REPRESENTATION IN THE IMPERIAL DIET AND WERE CALLED IMPERIAL CITIES
phonemes: sˌʌm ʌvðə lˈɑːɹdʒɚ tˈaʊnz ˈɔɪ dʒˈɜːməni, ðoʊz ʌvðə sˈaʊθ wˌɪtʃ hæd pɹˈɑːspɚd biː kˈɔːz ʌv ðɛɹ pɹɑːksˈɪmᵻɾi tə ðə ɡɹˈeɪt tɹˈeɪd ɹˈaʊts ; ænd ðoʊz ʌvðə nˈɔːɹθ wˌɪtʃ kˈæɹid ˌɔn kəmˈɛɹɪkəl ˈɛntɚ pɹˈaɪzᵻz baɪ mˈiːnz ʌvðə bˈɔltɪk ænd ðə nˈɔːɹθ sˈiː, wɜːɹ ˌɪndᵻpˈɛndənt ʌv ˈɔːl bˌʌt ðɪ ˈɛmpɚɹɚ, wɜː ɹˈɛkəɡnˌaɪzd æz ᵻstˈeɪts ʌvðə ɹˈɛlm kˈeɪpəbəl ʌv ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntˈeɪʃən ɪnðɪ ɪmpˈɪɹiəl dˈaɪət, ænd wɜː kˈɔːld ɪmpˈɪɹiəl sˈɪɾiz.