L3 Diphthongs and their classification

Diphthongs are complex vowel sounds that begin with one vowel sound and glide into another
within the same syllable. They are an important aspect of phonetics and can significantly
influence the pronunciation of words. Here’s a detailed overview of diphthongs, including their
classification and examples.

Classification of Diphthongs

Diphthongs can be classified based on several criteria, including the direction of the glide (the
movement from the first vowel to the second) and the vowel qualities involved.

1. Types Based on Glide Direction

 Rising Diphthongs: The vowel sound glides from a lower position to a higher position.
 Falling Diphthongs: The vowel sound glides from a higher position to a lower position.

2. Common English Diphthongs

Here’s a list of the most common diphthongs in English, along with their IPA symbols and
example words:

Rising Diphthongs

1. /aɪ/ as in "my," "fly," "time"

2. /aʊ/ as in "how," "cow," "house"
3. /ɔɪ/ as in "boy," "toy," "coin"

Falling Diphthongs

1. /eɪ/ as in "say," "play," "day"

2. /oʊ/ as in "go," "show," "no"

Characteristics of Diphthongs

 Complexity: Diphthongs involve a transition between two vowel sounds, making them
more complex than monophthongs (single vowel sounds).
 Duration: Diphthongs are typically longer in duration than monophthongs, as the gliding
motion requires more time.
 Syllabic Nature: Diphthongs usually occupy a single syllable, unlike separate vowel
sounds that may occupy different syllables.

Comparison with Monophthongs

Feature Diphthongs Monophthongs

Number of Vowels Two (gliding from one to another) One (a single vowel sound)
Duration Longer due to the glide Shorter and more stable
Syllabic Typically one syllable Can be one or more syllables

Regional Variations
The realization of diphthongs can vary significantly across different English dialects. For
example:

 In some accents, the diphthong /oʊ/ may be pronounced more as a monophthong /o/.
 The diphthongs /eɪ/ and /aɪ/ may be pronounced with varying degrees of openness
depending on the speaker's accent.

Practice Exercises

Here are some exercises to practice diphthongs:

1. Minimal Pairs:
o Practice pairs like “ride” /raɪd/ and “road” /roʊd/ to distinguish between
diphthongs.
2. Listening Activity:
o Listen to recordings or watch videos that highlight diphthongs. Write down the
words you hear and identify the diphthongs.
3. Tongue Twisters:
o Create or practice tongue twisters that incorporate diphthongs to improve fluency,
such as “How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?”

[au] No 16 The sounds /ɔɪ/ (as in "boy") and /oʊ/ (as in "go") are common diphthongs in
English. Here's a detailed breakdown of the letters and letter combinations that produce these
sounds.

Sound /ɔɪ/

The diphthong /ɔɪ/ typically occurs in words where the vowel sound glides from an open-mid
back rounded vowel to a near-close near-front rounded vowel. Here are the common letters and
combinations that can produce this sound:

Letter Combinations for /ɔɪ/

1. "oi":
o Examples: "coin," "boil," "join," "noise"
2. "oy":
o Examples: "boy," "toy," "enjoy," "destroy"

Usage Notes

 The combination "oi" is usually found in the middle of words, while "oy" is typically
found at the end or in the final syllable.
 Variations can occur in different dialects, but the /ɔɪ/ sound is generally consistent across
major English dialects.

Sound /oʊ/

The diphthong /oʊ/ represents a glide from a close-mid back rounded vowel to a near-close back
rounded vowel. Here are the common letters and combinations that create this sound:

Letter Combinations for /oʊ/

 1. "o" (when stressed):
o Examples: "go," "no," "so," "do"
2. "ow":
o Examples: "how," "now," "crow," "show"
o Note: "ow" can also represent /aʊ/ in words like "cow," so context is important.
3. "oe":
o Examples: "foe," "toe," "shoe" (though "shoe" has a slightly different quality, it
can still be perceived as /oʊ/).
4. "o" + silent "e":
o Examples: "home," "some," "broke"

Usage Notes

 The /oʊ/ sound typically appears in stressed syllables.

 Like /ɔɪ/, the pronunciation can vary slightly between dialects, with some speakers using
a more monophthongal /o/ sound in certain words.

Summary

 /ɔɪ/ can be represented by:

o "oi" as in "coin"
o "oy" as in "boy"
 /oʊ/ can be represented by:
o "o" as in "go"
o "ow" as in "how"
o "oe" as in "foe"
o "o" + silent "e" as in "home"

Practice Activities

To reinforce understanding, consider the following activities:

1. Word Sort: Create a list of words with /ɔɪ/ and /oʊ/ and sort them into two categories.
2. Minimal Pairs: Practice pairs that highlight the difference between /ɔɪ/ and /oʊ/, such as
"boy" vs. "bow."
3. Sentence Creation: Write sentences that incorporate words with both diphthongs to
practice pronunciation in context.

noise - voice - avoid - poison - join - coin - point - boil - foil - oil - spoil - toil - exploit;
joy - toy - boy - annoy - employ - destroy;
toying - employing - destroying - annoying;
loyal - royal - voyage - annoyance - oyster - destroyer - employer.

oi oy

[oi]

oin [join] Joy [dzoi]

 coin [koin] boy [boi]

voice [vois] toy [toi]

point [point]

oil [oil]

spoil [spoil]

The vowel sounds /ei/ and /æ/

When you say the letters of the alphabet, A has a long vowel sound /ei/. You hear this sound in
the word main. But the letter A pronounced as /æ/, as in the word cat.

[æ] No 4.

[æ] -is the most open front vowel. The lower jaw is lowered.

[ei] - No. 13

[ei] - front diphthong. [sei] [mein] [leit]

The bulk of the tongue is in the front part of the mouth cavity.

[mei] [teim] [peit]

[lei] [pein] [feit]

During the pronunciation of the nucleus of this diphthong the middle of the tongue is raised

in the direction of the hard palate, as for [ei].

[pei][fein] [meis]

[dei] [lein] [neip]

Thus the nucleus of the diphthong [ei] is practically the same as the vowel [e].

After completing the nucleus, the middle of the tongue glides the still higher moving in the

direction of [i].

Exercise 1. Read these examples(transcribe them)

a)

play played plate

grey grade great

pain plane age

b)
cat catch cap

bang battle bad

pack packet pan

”The fat cat sat on the man’s black hat”

Exercise 3

These words all contain the vowel sound /æ/. Make another word with the same consonant sound but
changing the vowel sound to /ei /

Examples pan_____pane______ pal___pale____

1. hat __________ 4. fat_________

2. map_________ 5.nap_________
3. back_________ 6.plan_________

Exercise 4

Listen and circle the word with a different vowel sound

Example black mad want hand

1 bag map man pass 4 space way weight square

2 patch match watch path 5. plane case lake care

3 made main great heat 6 break bake back nape

Exercise 5

Transcribe these words

rate - late - Kate - fate - race - base - place - same - name - take - ache - lake - wave - save - rage - age;
dictate - educate - decorate - celebrate - concentrate - investigate; cable - table - able - cradle - range -
change - strange - taste - waste; baby - bacon - paper - April - danger - angel - stranger - basis - lazy -
crazy; patient - racial - nation - nature - fatal - patriot - radio - vacant; ray - gray - play - lay - day - may -
say - way - pray - stay - stray - delay; hey - prey - they - convey - obey; rain - main - aim - brain - drain -
train - stain - remain - explain - complain; fail - mail - sail - rail - raise - raid - afraid - wait - straight - faint
- paint; weight - weigh - eight - vein - neighbor; break - great - steak; betrayal - portrayal - layer - player -
conveyor - surveyor; saying - staying - playing - laying - praying - delaying - conveying - obeying - archaic.

a + nge a + ste

[ei] [ei]

range [reindz] haste [heist]

change [teindz] waste [weist]

exchange taste [teist]

[iksteindz]