diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index bd42a96..9fcfc00 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ What can you do with this library?
 - map an actual pronunciation to a dictionary pronunciation (can be used 
   to automatically find speech errors)::
   
-    pysle.pronunciationtools.findClosestPronunciation(isleDict, 'cat', ['kh', 'ae',]) 
+    pysle.pronunciationtools.findClosestPronunciation(isleDict, 'cat', ['k', 'æ',])
 
 - automatically syllabify a praat textgrid containing words and phones 
   (e.g. force-aligned text) -- requires my 
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ Ver 1.4 (July 9, 2016)
 
 - added search functionality
 
+- ported code to use the new unicode IPA-based isledict
+  (the old one was ascii)
+
 Ver 1.3 (March 15, 2016)
 
 - added indicies for stressed vowels
@@ -74,12 +77,14 @@ Requirements
 ================
 
 - Before you use this library (before or after installing it) you will need
-  to download the ILSEX dictionary.  It can be downloaded here:
+  to download the ILSEX dictionary.  It can be downloaded here under the
+  section 'English' linked under the text 'English Pronlex'
+  (with a file name of ISLEdict.txt):
 
-  `ISLEX project page <http://www.isle.illinois.edu/sst/data/dict/>`_
+  `ISLEX project page <http://isle.illinois.edu/sst/data/g2ps/>`_
 
   `Direct link to the ISLEX file used in this project
-  <http://www.isle.illinois.edu/sst/data/dict/islex/islev2.txt>`_ (islev2.txt)
+  <http://isle.illinois.edu/sst/data/g2ps/English/ISLEdict.txt>`_ (ISLEdict.txt)
 
 - ``Python 2.7.*`` or above
 
@@ -113,7 +118,7 @@ Here is a typical common usage::
     from pysle import isle
     isleDict = isle.LexicalTool('C:\islev2.dict')
     print isleDict.lookup('catatonic')[0] # Get the first pronunciation
-    >> [['kh', '@,'], ['t_(', '&'], ['th', "A'"], ['n', 'I', 'kh']] [2]
+    >> [['k', 'ˌæ'], ['t˺', 'ə'], ['t', 'ˈɑ'], ['n', 'ɪ', 'k']] [2, 0]
 
 and another::
 
@@ -121,7 +126,7 @@ and another::
     from psyle import pronunciationTools
     
     searchWord = 'another'
-    anotherPhoneList = ['n', '@', 'th', 'r'] # Actually produced
+    anotherPhoneList = ['n', '@', 'th', 'r'] # Actually produced (ASCII or IPA ok here)
 
     returnList = pronunciationTools.findBestSyllabification(isleDict, 
                                                             searchWord, 
@@ -138,7 +143,7 @@ Citing pysle
 
 Pysle is general purpose coding and doesn't need to be cited
 (you should cite the
-`ISLEX project <http://www.isle.illinois.edu/sst/data/dict/islex/index.shtml>`_
+`ISLEX project <http://isle.illinois.edu/sst/data/g2ps/>`_
 instead) but if you would like to, it can be cited like so:
 
 Tim Mahrt. Pysle. https://github.com/timmahrt/pysle, 2016.
diff --git a/pysle/isletool.py b/pysle/isletool.py
index b57b64d..5722a87 100644
--- a/pysle/isletool.py
+++ b/pysle/isletool.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#encoding: utf-8
 '''
 Created on Oct 11, 2012
 
@@ -7,14 +8,18 @@ Created on Oct 11, 2012
 import io
 import re
 
-charList = ['#', '&', '&r', '3r', '9r', '>', '>i', '@', 'A', 'D', 'E',
-            'I', 'N', 'S', 'T', 'U', 'Z', '^', 'a', 'aI', 'aU', 'b',
-            'd', 'dZ', 'd_(', 'e', 'ei', 'f', 'g', 'h', 'i', 'i:',
-            'j', 'k', 'kh', 'l', 'l=', 'm', 'n', 'n=', 'oU', 'p',
-            'ph', 'r', 's', 'sh', 't', 'tS', 't_(', 'th', 'u',
-            'v', 'w', 'y', 'z']
 
-vowelList = ['a', '@', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u', '^', '&', '>', ]
+charList = [u'#', u'.', u'aʊ', u'b', u'd', u'dʒ', u'ei', u'f', u'g',
+            u'h', u'i', u'j', u'k', u'l', u'm', u'n', u'oʊ', u'p',
+            u'r', u's', u't', u'tʃ', u'u', u'v', u'w', u'z', u'æ',
+            u'ð', u'ŋ', u'ɑ', u'ɑɪ', u'ɔ', u'ɔi', u'ə', u'ɚ', u'ɛ', u'ɝ',
+            u'ɪ', u'ɵ', u'ɹ', u'ʃ', u'ʊ', u'ʒ', u'æ', u'ʌ', ]
+
+diacriticList = [u'˺', u'ˌ', u'̩', u'̃', ]
+
+vowelList = [u'aʊ', u'ei', u'i', u'oʊ', u'u', u'æ',
+             u'ɑ', u'ɑɪ', u'ɔ', u'ɔi', u'ə', u'ɚ', u'ɛ', u'ɝ',
+             u'ɪ', u'ʊ', u'ʌ', ]
 
 
 def isVowel(char):
@@ -88,6 +93,108 @@ class LexicalTool():
                       multiword=multiword)
 
 
+def _prepRESearchStr(matchStr, wordInitial='ok', wordFinal='ok',
+                     spanSyllable='ok', stressedSyllable='ok'):
+    '''
+    Prepares a user's RE string for a search
+    '''
+    
+    # Protect sounds that are two characters
+    # After this we can assume that each character represents a sound
+    # (We'll revert back when we're done processing the RE)
+    replList = ((u'ei', u'1'), (u'tʃ', u'2'), (u'oʊ', u'3'),
+                (u'dʒ', u'4'), (u'aʊ', u'5'), (u'ɑɪ', u'6'),
+                (u'ɔi', u'7'))
+    
+    for charA, charB in replList:
+        matchStr = matchStr.replace(charA, charB)
+    
+    # Characters to check between all other characters
+    # Don't check between all other characters if the character is already
+    # in the search string or
+    interleaveStr = None
+    stressOpt = (stressedSyllable == 'ok' or stressedSyllable == 'only')
+    spanOpt = (spanSyllable == 'ok' or spanSyllable == 'only')
+    if stressOpt and spanOpt:
+        interleaveStr = u"\.?ˈ?"
+    elif stressOpt:
+        interleaveStr = u"ˈ?"
+    elif spanOpt:
+        interleaveStr = u"\.?"
+    
+    if interleaveStr is not None:
+        matchStr = interleaveStr.join(matchStr)
+    
+    # Setting search boundaries
+    # We search on '[^\.#]' and not '.' so that the search doesn't span
+    # multiple syllables or words
+    if wordInitial == 'only':
+        matchStr = u'#' + matchStr
+    elif wordInitial == 'no':
+        # Match the closest preceeding syllable.  If there is none, look
+        # for word boundary plus at least one other character
+        matchStr = u'(?:\.[^\.#]*?|#[^\.#]+?)' + matchStr
+    else:
+        matchStr = u'[#\.][^\.#]*?' + matchStr
+    
+    if wordFinal == 'only':
+        matchStr = matchStr + u'#'
+    elif wordFinal == 'no':
+        matchStr = matchStr + u"(?:[^\.#]*?\.|[^\.#]+?#)"
+    else:
+        matchStr = matchStr + u'[^\.#]*?[#\.]'
+    
+    # For sounds that are designated two characters, prevent
+    # detecting those sounds if the user wanted a sound
+    # designated by one of the contained characters
+    for charA, charB in [(u'e', u'i'), (u't', u'ʃ'), (u'o', u'ʊ'),
+                         (u'd', u'ʒ'), (u'a', u'ʊ'), (u'ɑ' u'ɪ'),
+                         (u'ɔ', u'i'), ]:
+        
+        # Forward search ('a' and not 'ab')
+        startI = 0
+        while True:
+            try:
+                i = matchStr.index(charA, startI)
+            except ValueError:
+                break
+            if matchStr[i + 1] != charB:
+                forwardStr = u'(?!%s)' % charB
+                matchStr = matchStr[:i + 1] + forwardStr + matchStr[i + 1:]
+                startI = i + 1 + len(forwardStr)
+        
+        # Backward search ('b' and not 'ab')
+        startI = 0
+        while True:
+            try:
+                i = matchStr.index(charB, startI)
+            except ValueError:
+                break
+            if matchStr[i - 1] != charA:
+                backStr = u'(?<!%s)' % charA
+                matchStr = matchStr[:i] + backStr + matchStr[i:]
+                startI = i + 1 + len(backStr)
+    
+    # Revert the special sounds back from 1 character to 2 characters
+    for charA, charB in replList:
+        matchStr = matchStr.replace(charB, charA)
+
+    # Replace special characters
+    replDict = {"D": u"[tdsz]",  # dentals
+                "F": u"[ʃʒfvszɵðh]",  # fricatives
+                "S": u"[pbtdkg]",  # stops
+                "N": u"[nmŋ]",  # nasals
+                "R": u"[rɝɚ]",  # rhotics
+                "V": u"(?:aʊ|ei|oʊ|ɑɪ|ɔi|[iuæɑɔəɛɪʊʌ]):?",  # vowels
+                "B": u"\.",  # syllable boundary
+                }
+
+    for char, replStr in replDict.items():
+        matchStr = matchStr.replace(char, replStr)
+
+    return matchStr
+
+
 def search(searchList, matchStr, numSyllables=None, wordInitial='ok',
            wordFinal='ok', spanSyllable='ok', stressedSyllable='ok',
            multiword='ok'):
@@ -107,51 +214,11 @@ def search(searchList, matchStr, numSyllables=None, wordInitial='ok',
     Regular expression syntax applies, so if you wanted to search for any
     word ending with a vowel or rhotic, matchStr = '(?:VR)#'
     '''
-    
-    # Characters to check between all other characters
-    # Don't check between all other characters if the character is already
-    # in the search string or
-    interleaveStr = None
-    stressOpt = (stressedSyllable == 'ok' or stressedSyllable == 'only')
-    spanOpt = (spanSyllable == 'ok' or spanSyllable == 'only')
-    if stressOpt and spanOpt:
-        interleaveStr = "\.?'?"
-    elif stressOpt:
-        interleaveStr = "'?"
-    elif spanOpt:
-        interleaveStr = "\.?"
-    
-    if interleaveStr is not None:
-        matchStr = interleaveStr.join(matchStr)
-    
-    # Setting search boundaries
-    # We search on '[^\.#]' and not '.' so that the search doesn't span
-    # multiple syllables or words
-    if wordInitial == 'only':
-        matchStr = '#' + matchStr
-    elif wordInitial == 'no':
-        # Match the closest preceeding syllable.  If there is none, look
-        # for word boundary plus at least one other character
-        matchStr = '(?:\.[^\.#]*?|#[^\.#]+?)' + matchStr
-    else:
-        matchStr = '[#\.][^\.#]*?' + matchStr
-    
-    if wordFinal == 'only':
-        matchStr = matchStr + '#'
-    elif wordFinal == 'no':
-        matchStr = matchStr + "(?:[^\.#]*?\.|[^\.#]+?#)"
-    else:
-        matchStr = matchStr + '[^\.#]*?[#\.]'
-    
-    # Replace special characters
-    replDict = {"V": "(?:aI|aU|ei|oU|[AEIaeiu]):?",
-                "R": "[&39]?r",
-                "B": "\."}
-    
-    for char, replStr in replDict.items():
-        matchStr = matchStr.replace(char, replStr)
-    
     # Run search for words
+    
+    matchStr = _prepRESearchStr(matchStr, wordInitial, wordFinal,
+                                spanSyllable, stressedSyllable)
+    
     compiledRE = re.compile(matchStr)
     retList = []
     for word, pronList in searchList:
@@ -173,10 +240,10 @@ def search(searchList, matchStr, numSyllables=None, wordInitial='ok',
             matchList = compiledRE.findall(searchPron)
             if len(matchList) > 0:
                 if stressedSyllable == 'only':
-                    if all(["'" not in match for match in matchList]):
+                    if all([u"ˈ" not in match for match in matchList]):
                         continue
                 if stressedSyllable == 'no':
-                    if all(["'" in match for match in matchList]):
+                    if all([u"ˈ" in match for match in matchList]):
                         continue
                 
                 # For syllable spanning, we check if there is a syllable
@@ -211,11 +278,11 @@ def _parsePronunciation(pronunciationStr):
     stressedPhoneList = []
     for i, syllable in enumerate(syllableList):
         for j, phone in enumerate(syllable):
-            if "'" in phone:
+            if u"ˈ" in phone:
                 stressedSyllableList.insert(0, i)
                 stressedPhoneList.insert(0, j)
                 break
-            elif '"' in phone:
+            elif u'ˌ' in phone:
                 stressedSyllableList.insert(i)
                 stressedPhoneList.insert(j)
     
diff --git a/pysle/praattools.py b/pysle/praattools.py
index d15f0c8..07526a8 100644
--- a/pysle/praattools.py
+++ b/pysle/praattools.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#encoding: utf-8
 '''
 Created on Oct 22, 2014
 
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ def syllabifyTextgrid(isleDict, tg, wordTierName, phoneTierName,
             stressJ = None  #
             
         if stressI is not None:
-            syllableList[stressI][stressJ] += "'"
+            syllableList[stressI][stressJ] += u"ˈ"
 
         i = 0
 #         print(syllableList)
diff --git a/pysle/pronunciationtools.py b/pysle/pronunciationtools.py
index b34e447..f4d6bc8 100644
--- a/pysle/pronunciationtools.py
+++ b/pysle/pronunciationtools.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#encoding: utf-8
 '''
 Created on Oct 15, 2014
 
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ def _findBestPronunciation(isleDict, wordText, aPron):
         hasStress = False
         for syllable in syllableList:
             for phone in syllable:
-                hasStress = "'" in phone or hasStress
+                hasStress = u"ˈ" in phone or hasStress
         
         if hasStress:
             withStress.append(i)
diff --git a/test/basic_examples.py b/test/basic_examples.py
index 76f5c73..34eba8e 100644
--- a/test/basic_examples.py
+++ b/test/basic_examples.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#encoding: utf-8
 '''
 Created on Oct 22, 2014
 
@@ -12,16 +13,18 @@ from pysle import pronunciationtools
 # In this first example we look up the syllabification of a word and get it's 
 # stress information.
 
-searchWord = 'pumpkins'
-isleDict = isletool.LexicalTool('islev2.txt')
+searchWord = 'catatonic'
+isleDict = isletool.LexicalTool('ISLEdict.txt')
 lookupResults = isleDict.lookup(searchWord)
 
 firstEntry = lookupResults[0]
 firstSyllableList = firstEntry[0] 
+firstSyllableList = ".".join([u" ".join(syllable) for syllable in firstSyllableList])
 firstStressList = firstEntry[1]
 
 print(searchWord)
-print(firstSyllableList, firstStressList) # 3rd syllable carries stress
+print(firstSyllableList)
+print(firstStressList) # 3rd syllable carries stress
 
 
 # Here we determine the syllabification of a word, as it was said.
@@ -43,4 +46,6 @@ print(anotherPhoneList)
 print(stressedSyllableIndexList) # We can see the first syllable was elided
 print(stressedPhoneIndexList)
 print(flattenedStressIndexList)
+print(syllableList)
+print(syllabification)
 
diff --git a/test/dictionary_search.py b/test/dictionary_search.py
index 1a9dbb6..5040d60 100644
--- a/test/dictionary_search.py
+++ b/test/dictionary_search.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#encoding: utf-8
 '''
 Created on July 08, 2016
 
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ import random
 
 from pysle import isletool
 
-tmpPath = r"C:\Users\Tim\Dropbox\workspace\pysle\test\islev2.txt"
+tmpPath = r"C:\Users\Tim\Dropbox\workspace\pysle\test\ISLEdict.txt"
 isleDict = isletool.LexicalTool(tmpPath)
 
 def printOutMatches(matchStr, numSyllables=None, wordInitial='ok',
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ def printOutMatches(matchStr, numSyllables=None, wordInitial='ok',
         if numMatches is not None and i > numMatches:
             break
         word, pronList = matchTuple
-        print("%s: %s" % (word, repr(pronList)))
+        print("%s: %s" % (word, ",".join(pronList)))
     print("")
     
     return matchList
@@ -45,10 +46,10 @@ printOutMatches("dV", stressedSyllable="only", spanSyllable="no",
 # 3-syllable word with an 'ld' sequence that spans a syllable boundary
 printOutMatches("lBd", wordInitial="no", multiword='no',
                 numSyllables=3, numMatches=10)
-
+ 
 # words ending in 'inth'
-matchList = printOutMatches("InT", wordFinal="only", numMatches=10)
-
+matchList = printOutMatches(u"ɪnɵ", wordFinal="only", numMatches=10)
+ 
 # that also start with 's'
 matchList = printOutMatches("s", wordInitial="only", numMatches=10,
                             matchList=matchList, multiword="no")