Lec6 Diphthongs in English Language Sounds

English vowels dipthongs

1. Phonetics and Phonology By Muhammad Asim

2. Diphthongs Diphthongs are composed of digraphs (digraphs are two vowel symbols used to spell a single sound in English). Digraph: A sequence of two letters used to spell a single sound. There are eight diphthongs in English. A diphthong is a vowel glide: a combination of two vowels, though it is not, it is only a single vowel. The syllable in which it occurs is a single syllable. A glide is also present in a simple vowel, e.g., in [i:], there is a glide from [i] to [j]. But such an unintentional glide is not a diphthong. A diphthong is a voluntary, deliberate, intentional glide.

3. By Daniel Jones: A diphthong is an independent vowel glide not containing within itself a “peak” or “syllabic prominence.” A vowel glide means that the speech organs start in the position of one vowel and move in the direction of another vowel . Independent means that the glide is made deliberately and is not the unavoidable result of sounds preceding or following each other. There are eight diphthongs in English: / ei , ai , ɔi , au, əu , iə , eə , uə /.

4. Classification of Diphthongs The English diphthongs can be divided into two classes: Closing Diphthongs In articulation of these diphthongs, the speech organs start from a relatively open position and the glide is towards a relatively close vowel. Of the five closing diphthongs, the glide in three / ei , ai , ɔi / is towards the position of /i/, in two diphthongs / əu , au/ the glide is towards the position of /u/. Examples: / ei / → say / ai / → my / ɔi / → boy /au/ → house / əu / → go

5. Cont… Centering Diphthongs In articulation of these diphthongs, the speech organs glide towards the central vowel /ə/. Examples: / iə / → hear / eə / → hare / uə / → poor

6. Special Features 1) A diphthong has two elements. The first element is the starting point of the diphthong. The second element is the direction to which the glide is made. 2) English diphthongs have their first element strong and the second weak. Example: / iə , eə , uə / in the general given sounds. 3) The length and extent associated with the glide in English diphthongs could vary. Some diphthongs are found with longer glides than the rest. Such diphthongs are known as falling diphthongs (first sound is clearer than the second ).

7. Cont… 4) In pronouncing an English diphthong, the correct effect is given if the speech organs perform the greater part of the movement towards the second element. The limit of movement right up to the second element may not be reached. 5) A diphthong is not a sequence of two vowels occurring consecutively and belonging to two syllables (e.g., re-act, co-operate ). A diphthong consists of one syllable .

8. Cont… 6) The English diphthongs are equivalent in length to the long pure vowels and are subject to the same variations of length. They are fully long when final, or when they occur in a syllable closed by a voiced consonant. They are considerably shortened when the syllable is closed by a voiceless consonant. 7) No diphthongs occur before [ʒ], [r], [ dʒ ], [ʃ ]. ( Even among pure vowels only [ɪ], [ʊ], [ɛ] occur before [r].) 8) Diphthongs are represented in phonetic transcription by digraphs.

9. / eɪ / Description : The diphthong / eɪ / begins from the half-close front position, slightly below the vowel /e/, and the glide is in the direction of /ɪ/. The lips are spread. Spelling: a = make ai = aim au = gauge ay = day ea = great ei = eight

10. Cont… Variations: Lays, laid, late, day, play, played, made, maid, label, ladle. Practice: Bake, cake, steak, phrase, eight, great, afraid, detail, waste, rain, plane. Note: Pakistanis substitute a monophthong /e:/ for / eɪ /. A glide towards /ɪ/ is an essential feature of the articulation of / eɪ /.

11. / aɪ / Description : The diphthong / aɪ / begins at a front open position and the glide is in the direction of vowel /ɪ /. The position of lips changes from a neutral to a slightly spread position. [ aɪ ] – time, die, tie, high y – my, i – guide, y – spy, i – high, eye, height Variation in length: high hide, height die, died, light eye, eyes, ice

12. Cont… Note: Pakistanis should take care not to make the second element of the diphthong too clear. A diphthong like [ aɪə ] will suffice. Words for practice: by – my – try – eye – die – write – right – climb – sigh – like – why – white – light – high – fright – light – sigh .

13. [ ɔɪ ] Description : The diphthong [ ɔɪ ] begins at a point between back half-open and open positions and the glide is in the direction of the vowels [ɪ]. The lips are open-rounded for the first element, changing to neutral for the second element. Examples: oi – point oy – boy – buoy oy  – joy

14. Cont… Variation in length: oi – joy, oy – joys, choice boil, toy, boy, joy, toil, join, soil, annoy, enjoy, toil, coin, destroy . Note: Pakistanis should take care not to make the second element of the diphthong too close. A diphthong like [ ɔɪə ] will suffice. Words for practice: boy – joy – toy – boil – join – soil – annoy – enjoy – toil – coin – destroy.

15. [ aʊ ] Description : The diphthong [ aʊ ] begins at a point low in the back and front open positions, and the glide is in the direction of the vowels [ʊ]. The lips change from neutral/slightly rounded to a slightly rounded position. Examples: out – house – cow – town – our – found – out – brown – out – doubt.

16. Cont… Variation in length: allow, loud, loudest, proud, plough, ploughs, pout. Note: Pakistanis should take care not to make the second element too close. A diphthong like [ aʊə ] will suffice. Words for practice: out, house, around, found, down, proud, now, shout, without, allow.

17. / əʊ / Description : The diphthong / əʊ / begins at a central position between half-close and half-open and the glide is in the direction of the vowel /ʊ/. Spell: o — no, oe — toe, ou — soul, ow — know, ew — sew, ol — folk, oa — brooch. Variation in length: go — good, gone — goal, plant — plant, grows — grows, frost — frost .

18. Cont… Model for practice: go, no, toe, soul, own, shown, road, hole, know, oh, throws, shoulder, propose, old, home, post. Note: Pakistanis substitute /o/ for / əʊ /. The glide is an essential feature of the articulation of this diphthong.

19. / ea/

20. Spelt: a — vary — are — care, air — flare, ear — bear, pair, their, there, hare. Varieties in length: scarce, scares, scarce. Note: Learners always hear the letter ‘r’ in the spellings. Pakistanis pronounce this ‘r’ as an independent consonant sound. They must avoid making this mistake. Words like: care, air, where, share, layers, more, repairs, square, pair, beware, spare .

21. / ʊə / Description : The diphthong / ʊə / begins at the position of the vowel /ʊ/ and the glide is in the direction of an open type of /ə/. The lips are weakly rounded at the beginning of the glide, becoming neutrally spread at the glide proper. Note: Like the diphthongs / ɪə /, / eə / and / ʊə / also can’t constitute a rising diphthong in unaccented syllables, e.g., influence, valuable , etc .