diff --git a/.eslintrc.yml b/.eslintrc.yml
index 390523f..da98b50 100644
--- a/.eslintrc.yml
+++ b/.eslintrc.yml
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 extends:
-  - '@digitallinguistics/eslint-config'
\ No newline at end of file
+  - '@digitallinguistics/eslint-config'
+env:
+  mocha: true
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 21518de..0a5348d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -95,13 +95,14 @@ A JavaScript library that converts linguistic texts in [scription format][script
 
 ## Options
 
-Option              | Default     | Description
---------------------|-------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-`codes`             | `{}`        | This option allows you to use custom backslash codes in your interlinear glosses. It should be a hash containing the scription code as a key (without a leading backslash), and the custom code as the value; ex: `"txn": "t"` will allow you to write `\t` instead of `\txn` for transcription lines.
-`errors`            | `"warn"`    | This option allows you to specify how to handle errors. If set to `"warn""` (the default), an utterance which throws an error is skipped and a warning is logged to the console. If set to `"object"`, an error object with information is returned in the results array. If set to `false`, utterances with errors will be skipped silently. If set to `true`, utterances with errors will throw and stop further processing.
-`orthography`       | `"default"` | An abbreviation for the default orthography to use for transcriptions when one is not specified.
-`parser`            | `undefined` | A YAML parser to use in parsing the header of a scription document. If none is present, the header will be provided as a string in the `header` property of the returned object.
-`utteranceMetadata` | `true`      | Whether to parse the utterance metadata line (the first line when it begins with `#`). If set to `true`, a `metadata` property will be added to each utterance that has it.
+| Option              | Default     | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
+| ------------------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
+| `codes`             | `{}`        | This option allows you to use custom backslash codes in your interlinear glosses. It should be a hash containing the scription code as a key (without a leading backslash), and the custom code as the value; ex: `"txn": "t"` will allow you to write `\t` instead of `\txn` for transcription lines.                                                                                                                         |
+| `emphasis`          | `true`      | This option specifies whether emphasis should be passed through as-is (`true`, default), or stripped from the data (`false`).
+| `errors`            | `"warn"`    | This option allows you to specify how to handle errors. If set to `"warn""` (the default), an utterance which throws an error is skipped and a warning is logged to the console. If set to `"object"`, an error object with information is returned in the results array. If set to `false`, utterances with errors will be skipped silently. If set to `true`, utterances with errors will throw and stop further processing. |
+| `orthography`       | `"default"` | An abbreviation for the default orthography to use for transcriptions when one is not specified.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
+| `parser`            | `undefined` | A YAML parser to use in parsing the header of a scription document. If none is present, the header will be provided as a string in the `header` property of the returned object.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
+| `utteranceMetadata` | `true`      | Whether to parse the utterance metadata line (the first line when it begins with `#`). If set to `true`, a `metadata` property will be added to each utterance that has it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
 
 [actions]:   https://github.com/digitallinguistics/scription2dlx/actions/
 [AJV]:       https://www.npmjs.com/package/ajv
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index c2dc9e1..5ebe4e3 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import parseUtterances               from './parseUtterances.js'
  */
 export default function scription2dlx(scription = ``, {
   codes = {},
+  emphasis = true,
   errors = `warn`,
   orthography = `default`,
   parser,
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ export default function scription2dlx(scription = ``, {
   }
 
   const options = {
+    emphasis,
     errors,
     orthography,
     utteranceMetadata,
diff --git a/src/parseUtterance/index.js b/src/parseUtterance/index.js
index 71af1fc..6533437 100644
--- a/src/parseUtterance/index.js
+++ b/src/parseUtterance/index.js
@@ -26,12 +26,6 @@ export default function parseUtterance(rawLines, schema, codesHash, options) {
   const utterance = {}
   let lines       = [...rawLines]
 
-  const {
-    errors,
-    orthography,
-    utteranceMetadata,
-  } = options
-
   try {
 
     // metadata
@@ -42,7 +36,7 @@ export default function parseUtterance(rawLines, schema, codesHash, options) {
 
       const rawMetadata = lines.shift()
 
-      if (utteranceMetadata === true) {
+      if (options.utteranceMetadata === true) {
         const metadata = parseMetadata(rawMetadata)
         if (metadata) utterance.metadata = metadata
       }
@@ -86,24 +80,24 @@ export default function parseUtterance(rawLines, schema, codesHash, options) {
 
     // Transcript
     if (types.includes(`trs`)) {
-      utterance.transcript  = parseTranscript(codesHash.trs, lines, orthography)
+      utterance.transcript  = parseTranscript(codesHash.trs, lines, options)
     }
 
     // Transcription
-    utterance.transcription = parseTranscription(codesHash.txn, lines, orthography)
+    utterance.transcription = parseTranscription(codesHash.txn, lines, options)
 
     // Phonetic
     if (types.includes(`phon`) && schema.includes(`phon`)) {
-      utterance.phonetic = parsePhonetic(lines[codesHash.phon])
+      utterance.phonetic = parsePhonetic(lines[codesHash.phon], options)
     }
 
     // Literal Translation
     if (types.includes(`lit`)) {
-      utterance.literal = parseLiteral(codesHash.lit, lines)
+      utterance.literal = parseLiteral(codesHash.lit, lines, options)
     }
 
     // Free Translation
-    utterance.translation = parseTranslation(codesHash.tln, lines) || ``
+    utterance.translation = parseTranslation(codesHash.tln, lines, options) || ``
 
     // Source
     if (types.includes(`s`)) {
@@ -118,7 +112,7 @@ export default function parseUtterance(rawLines, schema, codesHash, options) {
     }
 
     // Words
-    const words = parseWords(codesHash, lines, orthography)
+    const words = parseWords(codesHash, lines, options)
     if (words.length) utterance.words = words
 
     // Notes
@@ -137,23 +131,23 @@ export default function parseUtterance(rawLines, schema, codesHash, options) {
     }
 
     if (typeof utterance.transcription === `string`) {
-      utterance.transcription = { [orthography]: utterance.transcription }
+      utterance.transcription = { [options.orthography]: utterance.transcription }
     }
 
     return utterance
 
   } catch (e) {
 
-    if (!errors) return
+    if (!options.errors) return
 
     e.text = rawLines.join(`\n`)
 
-    if (errors === `warn`) {
+    if (options.errors === `warn`) {
       console.warn(e)
       return
     }
 
-    if (errors === `object`) {
+    if (options.errors === `object`) {
       return e
     }
 
diff --git a/src/parseUtterance/parseLiteral.js b/src/parseUtterance/parseLiteral.js
index 50ffbb9..3813862 100644
--- a/src/parseUtterance/parseLiteral.js
+++ b/src/parseUtterance/parseLiteral.js
@@ -4,14 +4,16 @@ import removeEmphasis from '../utilities/removeEmphasis.js'
 
 /**
  * Parses, validates, and cleans the literal translation lines
- * @param  {String}        lineCode The line code to use for literal lines
- * @param  {Object}        lines    The lines hash
+ * @param  {String}        lineCode         The line code to use for literal lines
+ * @param  {Object}        lines            The lines hash
+ * @param  {Object}        options          The options hash
+ * @param  {Boolean}       options.emphasis Whether to retain emphasis in the output
  * @return {String|Object}
  */
-export default function parseLiteral(lineCode, lines) {
+export default function parseLiteral(lineCode, lines, options) {
   let data = groupLines(lineCode, lines)
   if (!data) return null
-  data = removeEmphasis(data)
+  if (options.emphasis === false) data = removeEmphasis(data)
   // NB: Do not use the lineCode variable as the first argument to removeBrackets
   // removeBrackets accept an abstract type, not a line code, as its first argument.
   // Use both `lit` and `tln` to remove square brackets and multiple types of single quotes
diff --git a/src/parseUtterance/parseMorphemes/index.js b/src/parseUtterance/parseMorphemes/index.js
index 2f9df44..2d3e79b 100644
--- a/src/parseUtterance/parseMorphemes/index.js
+++ b/src/parseUtterance/parseMorphemes/index.js
@@ -49,12 +49,13 @@ function tokenizeWord(string) {
 
 /**
  * Accepts an lines hash for a word (morpheme and gloss lines) and returns an array of DLx Morpheme objects
- * @param  {Object} codes       The hash of line codes
- * @param  {Object} wordHash    The lines hash for the word
- * @param  {String} orthogrpahy The abbreviation to use for the default orthography, if none is provided.
- * @return {Array}              Returns an array of DLx Morpheme objeccts
+ * @param  {Object} codes               The hash of line codes
+ * @param  {Object} wordHash            The lines hash for the word
+ * @param  {Object} options             The options hash
+ * @param  {String} options.orthography The abbreviation to use for the default orthography, if none is provided.
+ * @return {Array}                      Returns an array of DLx Morpheme objeccts
  */
-export default function parseMorphemes(codes, wordHash, orthography) {
+export default function parseMorphemes(codes, wordHash, options) {
 
   const morphemeLines = getLines([codes.gl, codes.m], wordHash)
 
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ export default function parseMorphemes(codes, wordHash, orthography) {
     let transcription = groupLines(codes.m, data) || ``
     transcription     = removeBrackets(`infix`, transcription)
 
-    if (typeof transcription === `string`) transcription = { [orthography]: transcription }
+    if (typeof transcription === `string`) transcription = { [options.orthography]: transcription }
 
     return {
       transcription,
diff --git a/src/parseUtterance/parsePhonetic.js b/src/parseUtterance/parsePhonetic.js
index 3811f4d..33b3051 100644
--- a/src/parseUtterance/parsePhonetic.js
+++ b/src/parseUtterance/parsePhonetic.js
@@ -3,12 +3,15 @@ import removeEmphasis from '../utilities/removeEmphasis.js'
 
 /**
  * Cleans and validates the phonetic line
- * @param  {String} line The phonetic line
+ * @param  {String}  line             The phonetic line
+ * @param  {Object}  options          The options hash
+ * @param  {Boolean} options.emphasis Whether to retain emphasis in the output
  * @return {String}
  */
-export default function parsePhonetic(line) {
+export default function parsePhonetic(line, options) {
   if (!line) return null
   // NB: Do not use the lineCode variable as the first argument to removeBrackets
   // removeBrackets accept an abstract type, not a line code, as its first argument
-  return removeBrackets(`phon`, removeEmphasis(line))
+  if (options.emphasis === false) line = removeEmphasis(line)
+  return removeBrackets(`phon`, line)
 }
diff --git a/src/parseUtterance/parseTranscript.js b/src/parseUtterance/parseTranscript.js
index 1059959..93d146b 100644
--- a/src/parseUtterance/parseTranscript.js
+++ b/src/parseUtterance/parseTranscript.js
@@ -2,16 +2,17 @@ import groupLines from '../utilities/groupLines.js'
 
 /**
  * Extracts, validates, and cleans the transcript lines from the lines hash
- * @param  {String}        lineCode    The line code for the transcript lines
- * @param  {Object}        lines       The lines hash
- * @param  {String}        orthography The abbreviation to use for the transcript orthography if none is present
+ * @param  {String}        lineCode            The line code for the transcript lines
+ * @param  {Object}        lines               The lines hash
+ * @param  {Object}        options             The options hash
+ * @param  {String}        options.orthography The abbreviation to use for the transcript orthography if none is present
  * @return {String|Object}
  */
-export default function parseTranscript(lineCode, lines, orthography) {
+export default function parseTranscript(lineCode, lines, options) {
 
   const data = groupLines(lineCode, lines)
 
-  if (typeof data === `string`) return { [orthography]: data }
+  if (typeof data === `string`) return { [options.orthography]: data }
 
   return data || null
 
diff --git a/src/parseUtterance/parseTranscription.js b/src/parseUtterance/parseTranscription.js
index 820cf27..101291c 100644
--- a/src/parseUtterance/parseTranscription.js
+++ b/src/parseUtterance/parseTranscription.js
@@ -4,12 +4,13 @@ import removeEmphasis from '../utilities/removeEmphasis.js'
 
 /**
  * Extracts, validates, and cleans the transcription lines from the lines hash
- * @param  {String}        lineCode    The code to use for transcription lines
- * @param  {Object}        lines       The lines hash
- * @param  {String}        orthography An abbreviation to use for the orthography if one is not specified
+ * @param  {String}        lineCode            The code to use for transcription lines
+ * @param  {Object}        lines               The lines hash
+ * @param  {Object}        options             The options hash
+ * @param  {String}        options.orthography An abbreviation to use for the orthography if one is not specified
  * @return {String|Object}
  */
-export default function parseTranscription(lineCode, lines, orthography) {
+export default function parseTranscription(lineCode, lines, options) {
 
   let data = groupLines(lineCode, lines)
 
@@ -17,10 +18,10 @@ export default function parseTranscription(lineCode, lines, orthography) {
 
   // NB: Do not use lineCode for removeBrackets here
   // removeBrackets takes an abstract type, not a line code, as its first argument
-  data = removeEmphasis(data)
+  if (options.emphasis === false) data = removeEmphasis(data)
   data = removeBrackets(`txn`, data)
 
-  if (typeof data === `string`) return { [orthography]: data }
+  if (typeof data === `string`) return { [options.orthography]: data }
 
   return data
 
diff --git a/src/parseUtterance/parseTranslation.js b/src/parseUtterance/parseTranslation.js
index ffc1773..fdf373e 100644
--- a/src/parseUtterance/parseTranslation.js
+++ b/src/parseUtterance/parseTranslation.js
@@ -4,14 +4,16 @@ import removeEmphasis from '../utilities/removeEmphasis.js'
 
 /**
  * Extracts, validates, and cleans the translation lines from the lines hash
- * @param  {String}        lineCode The line code to use for translations lines
- * @param  {Object}        lines    The lines hash
+ * @param  {String}        lineCode         The line code to use for translations lines
+ * @param  {Object}        lines            The lines hash
+ * @param  {Object}        options          The options hash
+ * @param  {Boolean}       options.emphasis Whether to retain emphasis in the output
  * @return {String|Object}
  */
-export default function parseTranslation(lineCode, lines) {
+export default function parseTranslation(lineCode, lines, options) {
   let data = groupLines(lineCode, lines)
   if (!data) return null
-  data = removeEmphasis(data)
+  if (options.emphasis === false) data = removeEmphasis(data)
   // NB: removeBrackets accepts an abstract line type, not a specific line code
   // as its first argument
   data = removeBrackets(`tln`, data)
diff --git a/src/parseUtterance/parseWords.js b/src/parseUtterance/parseWords.js
index 7613818..e283da6 100644
--- a/src/parseUtterance/parseWords.js
+++ b/src/parseUtterance/parseWords.js
@@ -8,23 +8,25 @@ import zip              from '../utilities/js/zip.js'
 
 /**
  * Parses the word hash into a DLx Word object
- * @param  {Object} codes       The hash of line codes
- * @param  {Object} data        The word hash
- * @param  {String} orthography The orthography abbreviation to use if one is not specified
- * @return {Object}             Returns a DLx Word object
+ * @param  {Object}  codes               The hash of line codes
+ * @param  {Object}  data                The word hash
+ * @param  {Object}  options             The options hash
+ * @param  {Boolean} options.emphasis    Whether to retain empahsis in the output
+ * @param  {String}  options.orthography The orthography abbreviation to use if one is not specified
+ * @return {Object}                      Returns a DLx Word object
  */
-function parseWord(codes, data, orthography) {
+function parseWord(codes, data, options) {
 
-  data = removeEmphasis(data) // eslint-disable-line no-param-reassign
+  if (options.emphasis === false) data = removeEmphasis(data) // eslint-disable-line no-param-reassign
 
   let transcription = groupLines(codes.w, data) || ``
   let analysis      = groupLines(codes.m, data)
   const gloss       = groupLines(codes.gl, data)
   const literal     = groupLines(codes.wlt, data)
-  const morphemes   = parseMorphemes(codes, data, orthography)
+  const morphemes   = parseMorphemes(codes, data, options)
 
-  if (typeof transcription === `string`) transcription = { [orthography]: transcription }
-  if (typeof analysis === `string`) analysis = { [orthography]: analysis }
+  if (typeof transcription === `string`) transcription = { [options.orthography]: transcription }
+  if (typeof analysis === `string`) analysis = { [options.orthography]: analysis }
 
   return {
     transcription,
@@ -52,12 +54,13 @@ function tokenizeLine(string) {
 
 /**
  * Extracts word-specific lines from the lines hash and converts them into an array of DLx Word objects
- * @param  {Object} codes       The line codes hash
- * @param  {Object} lines       The lines hash
- * @param  {String} orthography The abbreviation to use for the orthography if one is not specified
- * @return {Array}              Returns an array of DLx Word objects
+ * @param  {Object} codes               The line codes hash
+ * @param  {Object} lines               The lines hash
+ * @param  {Object} options             The options hash
+ * @param  {String} options.orthography The abbreviation to use for the orthography if one is not specified
+ * @return {Array}                      Returns an array of DLx Word objects
  */
-export default function parseWords(codesHash, lines, orthography) {
+export default function parseWords(codesHash, lines, options) {
 
   const wordLineCodes = wordTypes.map(type => codesHash[type])
   const wordLines     = getLines(wordLineCodes, lines)
@@ -74,6 +77,6 @@ export default function parseWords(codesHash, lines, orthography) {
   validateNumItems(wordsHash)
 
   return zip(wordsHash)
-  .map(wordData => parseWord(codesHash, wordData, orthography))
+  .map(wordData => parseWord(codesHash, wordData, options))
 
 }
diff --git a/test/lines/glosses.test.js b/test/lines/glosses.test.js
index 9157aaf..55369a5 100644
--- a/test/lines/glosses.test.js
+++ b/test/lines/glosses.test.js
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ describe(`glosses`, () => {
 
   })
 
-   
+
   it(`tokenizes words and morphemes correctly`, () => {
 
     const text = `
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ describe(`glosses`, () => {
     expect(w4m.gloss).to.equal(`null`)
 
   })
-   
+
 
   it(`populates both word and morpheme glosses`, () => {
 
@@ -289,18 +289,35 @@ describe(`glosses`, () => {
 
   })
 
-  it(`is stripped of emphasis`, () => {
+  it(`retains emphasis`, function() {
 
-    const wordGloss = `waxt-qungu`
+    const withEmphasis    = `*waxt*-qungu`
+    const withoutEmphasis = `waxt-qungu`
 
     const text = `
-    \\m ${ wordGloss } qasi
-    \\gl *waxt*-qungu qasi
+    \\m  ${ withoutEmphasis } qasi
+    \\gl ${ withEmphasis } qasi
     `
 
-    const { utterances: [{ words: [word] }] } = convert(text)
+    const { utterances: [{ words: [word] }] } = convert(text, { emphasis: true })
+
+    expect(word.gloss).to.equal(withEmphasis)
+
+  })
+
+  it(`strips emphasis`, () => {
+
+    const withEmphasis    = `*waxt*-qungu`
+    const withoutEmphasis = `waxt-qungu`
+
+    const text = `
+    \\m  ${ withoutEmphasis } qasi
+    \\gl ${ withEmphasis } qasi
+    `
+
+    const { utterances: [{ words: [word] }] } = convert(text, { emphasis: false })
 
-    expect(word.gloss).to.equal(wordGloss)
+    expect(word.gloss).to.equal(withoutEmphasis)
 
   })
 
diff --git a/test/lines/literal.test.js b/test/lines/literal.test.js
index cff1e19..ba2f945 100644
--- a/test/lines/literal.test.js
+++ b/test/lines/literal.test.js
@@ -85,18 +85,27 @@ describe(`literal translation (utterance: "\\lit")`, () => {
 
   })
 
-  it(`is stripped of emphasis`, () => {
-
-    const literal = `one day a man`
+  it(`retains emphasis`, function() {
 
     const text = `
-    \\txn waxdungu qasi
-    \\lit ${ literal }
-    `
+    \\txn *waxdungu* qasi
+    \\lit *one day* a man`
 
     const { utterances: [utterance] } = convert(text)
 
-    expect(utterance.literal).to.equal(literal)
+    expect(utterance.literal).to.equal(`*one day* a man`)
+
+  })
+
+  it(`strips emphasis`, function() {
+
+    const text = `
+    \\txn *waxdungu* qasi
+    \\lit *one day* a man`
+
+    const { utterances: [utterance] } = convert(text, { emphasis: false })
+
+    expect(utterance.literal).to.equal(`one day a man`)
 
   })
 
diff --git a/test/lines/meta.test.js b/test/lines/meta.test.js
index d2595ae..a960ad4 100644
--- a/test/lines/meta.test.js
+++ b/test/lines/meta.test.js
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ describe(`utterance metadata`, () => {
 
   })
 
-  it(`is not stripped of emphasis`, () => {
+  it(`retains emphasis`, () => {
 
     const meta = `*Chitimacha*`
 
diff --git a/test/lines/morphemes.test.js b/test/lines/morphemes.test.js
index c422df3..009b523 100644
--- a/test/lines/morphemes.test.js
+++ b/test/lines/morphemes.test.js
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ describe(`morphemes`, () => {
 
   })
 
-  it(`is stripped of emphasis`, () => {
+  it(`retains emphasis`, function() {
 
     const text = `
     \\m  *waxt*-qungu qasi
@@ -100,6 +100,19 @@ describe(`morphemes`, () => {
 
     const { utterances: [{ words: [{ morphemes: [morpheme] }] }] } = convert(text)
 
+    expect(morpheme.transcription.default).to.equal(`*waxt*`)
+
+  })
+
+  it(`strips emphasis`, function() {
+
+    const text = `
+    \\m  *waxt*-qungu qasi
+    \\gl day-one      man
+    `
+
+    const { utterances: [{ words: [{ morphemes: [morpheme] }] }] } = convert(text, { emphasis: false })
+
     expect(morpheme.transcription.default).to.equal(`waxt`)
 
   })
diff --git a/test/lines/note.test.js b/test/lines/note.test.js
index 0baec20..56bc4cc 100644
--- a/test/lines/note.test.js
+++ b/test/lines/note.test.js
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ describe(`note`, () => {
 
   })
 
-  it(`is not stripped of emphasis`, () => {
+  it(`retains emphasis`, () => {
 
     const noteText = `This note has *emphasis*.`
 
diff --git a/test/lines/phonetic.test.js b/test/lines/phonetic.test.js
index 8467982..74bd85c 100644
--- a/test/lines/phonetic.test.js
+++ b/test/lines/phonetic.test.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ describe(`phonetic transcription`, () => {
 
   })
 
-  it(`is stripped of emphasis`, () => {
+  it(`retains emphasis`, function() {
 
     const phonetic = `waʃtʼunkʼu *ʔasi*`
 
@@ -47,7 +47,21 @@ describe(`phonetic transcription`, () => {
     `
 
     const { utterances: [utterance] } = convert(text)
-    expect(utterance.phonetic.includes(`*`)).to.equal(false)
+    expect(utterance.phonetic).to.include(`*ʔasi*`)
+
+  })
+
+  it(`strips emphasis`, function() {
+
+    const phonetic = `waʃtʼunkʼu *ʔasi*`
+
+    const text = `
+    \\phon ${ phonetic }
+    \\tln  one day a man
+    `
+
+    const { utterances: [utterance] } = convert(text, { emphasis: false })
+    expect(utterance.phonetic).not.to.include(`*`)
 
   })
 
diff --git a/test/lines/transcript.test.js b/test/lines/transcript.test.js
index ad8c451..99e55ab 100644
--- a/test/lines/transcript.test.js
+++ b/test/lines/transcript.test.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ describe(`transcript`, () => {
 
   })
 
-  it(`is not stripped of emphasis`, () => {
+  it(`retains emphasis`, () => {
 
     const transcript = `*waxdungu* qasi`
 
diff --git a/test/lines/transcription.test.js b/test/lines/transcription.test.js
index 76f7a22..8dbae54 100644
--- a/test/lines/transcription.test.js
+++ b/test/lines/transcription.test.js
@@ -72,17 +72,29 @@ describe(`phomemic transcription (utterance)`, () => {
 
   })
 
-  it(`is stripped of emphasis`, () => {
-
-    const transcription = `*waxdungu* qasi`
+  it(`retains emphasis`, function() {
 
     const text = `
-    ${ transcription }
+    *waxdungu* qasi
     one day a man
     `
 
     const { utterances: [utterance] } = convert(text)
-    expect(utterance.transcription.default.includes(`*`)).to.equal(false)
+
+    expect(utterance.transcription.default).to.equal(`*waxdungu* qasi`)
+
+  })
+
+  it(`retains emphasis`, function() {
+
+    const text = `
+    *waxdungu* qasi
+    one day a man
+    `
+
+    const { utterances: [utterance] } = convert(text, { emphasis: false })
+
+    expect(utterance.transcription.default).to.not.include(`*`)
 
   })
 
diff --git a/test/lines/translation.test.js b/test/lines/translation.test.js
index 95bb5e8..7281f18 100644
--- a/test/lines/translation.test.js
+++ b/test/lines/translation.test.js
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ describe(`free translation`, () => {
 
   })
 
-  it(`is stripped of emphasis`, () => {
+  it(`retains emphasis`, function() {
 
     const text = `
     waxdungu qasi
@@ -80,6 +80,19 @@ describe(`free translation`, () => {
 
     const { utterances: [utterance] } = convert(text)
 
+    expect(utterance.translation).to.equal(`*one* day a man`)
+
+  })
+
+  it(`strips emphasis`, function() {
+
+    const text = `
+    waxdungu qasi
+    *one* day a man
+    `
+
+    const { utterances: [utterance] } = convert(text, { emphasis: false })
+
     expect(utterance.translation).to.equal(`one day a man`)
 
   })
diff --git a/test/lines/word-literal.test.js b/test/lines/word-literal.test.js
index 48e1204..7b554a9 100644
--- a/test/lines/word-literal.test.js
+++ b/test/lines/word-literal.test.js
@@ -68,18 +68,29 @@ describe(`literal word translation (word: \\wlt)`, () => {
 
   })
 
-  it(`is stripped of emphasis`, () => {
-
-    const literal = `day.one`
+  it(`retains emphasis`, function() {
 
     const text = `
     \\w waxdungu qasi
-    \\wlt ${ literal } a.man
+    \\wlt day.*one* a.man
     `
 
     const { utterances: [{ words: [word] }] } = convert(text)
 
-    expect(word.literal).to.equal(literal)
+    expect(word.literal).to.equal(`day.*one*`)
+
+  })
+
+  it(`strips emphasis`, function() {
+
+    const text = `
+    \\w waxdungu qasi
+    \\wlt day.*one* a.man
+    `
+
+    const { utterances: [{ words: [word] }] } = convert(text, { emphasis: false })
+
+    expect(word.literal).to.equal(`day.one`)
 
   })