Diphthongs Traditional Classification Diphthongs Diphthongs have a prominent

Diphthongs Traditional Classification

Diphthongs Ü Diphthongs have a prominent shift in resonance, usually in the form of an offglide EX: boy, how, view Ü There’s a change in the adjustment of the vocal tract that takes place as diphthongs are produced Combination of 2 vowels – The initiating target is the first vowel – The terminating target is final vowel

Diphthongs Ü Tension – can go: tense to lax OR lax to lax, BUT never lax to tense Ü Advancement – can go: Front to front [ ] Front to back [ ] Back to front [ ] Ü Height – can go: mid to high low to high

Many phoneticians regard diphthongs as a combination of a vowel and glide (e. g. , [ ] and [ ]) Therefore, they do not include diphthongs in their list of English sounds -dipthongs have glide features

American English Diphthongs Ü [ ] Ü [ ] high, file ouch, house, brown, cow boy, toy weigh, play bow, go use, youth, cute, view, unit

American English Diphthongs Ü [ ] Front to front; low to high; tense to lax Ü [ ] Front to back; low to high; tense to lax Ü [ ] Back to front; mid to high; lax to lax Ü [ ] Front to front; mid to high; tense to lax Vowel [e] takes on diphthongal traits when it is pronounced as a stressed sound in words like “play”, “weigh”, “bake”* If vowel is unstressed and short in duration, use [e]

American English Diphthongs Ü [ ] Back to back; mid to high; tense to lax Vowel [ ] takes on diphthongal traits when it is pronounced as a stressed sound in words like “bow”; “goat”* Ü [ ] Front to back; high to high; tense to tense

Centering Diphthongs Ü Tongue [ ] Ü [ ] Ü [ ] glides from stable vowel toward

Centering Diphthongs Ü [ ] Tongue glides from the lower high-front position Beard, hear, steer, pier, spirit, period, year Ü [ ] Tongue glides from stable [ ] to [ ] Very, berry, wear, care, pair Variations: – [ ]: Mary, vary, carry – [ ]: they’re, wear, care

Centering Diphthongs Ü [ ] Off-glide from stable, low-back [ ] to central vowel position [ ] Art, heart, guard, are Variations: – [ ]: forest, forehead, foreign (more acceptable)

Centering Diphthongs Ü [ ] ~ [ ] Glides from back vowel [o] or [ ] to central [ ] Allophones Morning ~ mourning Horse ~ hoarse Or ~ oar

Centering Diphthongs Ü [ ] Glide from high back vowel [ ] to central [ ] pure, sure Variations: [ ] and [ ] often substituted for [ ] – [ ] ~ [ ] “sure” “cure” “your”