Written by

Abdulelah Mansour Alyaseri

DIPHTHONG /eɪ/
1.1 Diphthong in general :
Diphthongs are vowel sounds that begin as one sound and blend into another when
they are articulated. They can be achieved through the use of two consecutive vowels,
as well as one vowel that changes as it is pronounced. Diphthongs are sometimes
referred to as gliding vowels. This term relates to the way in which the vowel sound is
articulated. With all speech sounds, including vowels and consonants, air flows through
the vocal cords. Each sound requires different alteration and constriction of the vocal
cords to articulate. These sounds are represented by symbols that we know of as letters.

When air flows through vocal cords, the lips, teeth, tongue, and the vocal cords
themselves manipulate it in order to produce the desired speech sound. A vowel
becomes a diphthong when it starts as one speech sound and ends as another. The term
gliding vowel is a reference to the way in which the airflow glides or moves from one
vowel sound articulation to another.

Having two consecutive vowels does not guarantee that a word has a diphthong. In
the words “loot,” “bear,” “and “fear,” for example, only one vowel sound is articulated.
Another thing to note is that diphthongs depend upon pronunciation. In some accents, a
word may have a diphthong even though in another accent it does not. The New Yorker
accent, for example, tends to add extra diphthongs to words like “dog” and “long,”
where the single O vowel is pronounced as a diphthong similar to the word “aw.”

1.2 Diphthong /eɪ/ :

The diphthong sound /eɪ/ is the combination of two vowel sounds /e/ and /ɪ/. The
combination of these two vowel sounds, make one diphthong sound that is /eɪ/.
diphthong vowels are also known as gliding vowels as there is a glide (1)
(2)
or shift from
one vowel to another.

When we pronounce the diphthong sound /eɪ/ there is a glide from the vowel /e/ to
/ɪ/, that is the reason that diphthongs are considered as a difficult vowels.

When we pronounce this diphthong /eɪ/, the position and the shape of our mouth
change to maintain the glide from one vowel to another. Just like other vowel sounds.
Our vocal cords (2) vibrate while pronouncing this diphthong sound-it is voiced sound.

(1) A glide : is a sound that is phonetically similar to a vowel sound but function as the syllable boundary rather
than as the nucleus of syllable.
(2) Vocal cords : Two thick strips of muscles inside the larynx. When they are produce voiceless sounds and when
they are brought together, they produce voiced.

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Figure, diphthong /eɪ/

1.3 Forms of the sound /eɪ/

1.3.1 Through long (a)

How to pronounce the long (a) as /eɪ/ ?
The answer is : if the letter (a) comes before one letter consonant followed by the
letter (e), The letter (a) is going to give us a diphthong sound /eɪ/.

For example :
Statement
Long (a) The letter (e)

One consonant (t)

The transcribing of this word in phonetic is / steɪtmənt /

Note :
To pronounce the sound, begin with the tongue pushed somewhat forward but in a
neutral position in the mouth. Then, as the jaw closes slightly, move the body of the
tongue upward until it's near the tooth ridge (3) similar to the position of a "y sound"-
the front sides of the tongue touch the inside of the top teeth at the end of the sound.

(3) They are rounded bumps on the edge of tooth.

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List of words:

NO. Word Transcribe No. Word Transcribe

1 Game /ɡeɪm/ 15 Place /pleɪs/
2 Page /peɪdʒ/ 16 Educate /edʒəkeɪt/
3 Statement /steɪtmənt/ 17 Decade /dekeɪd/
4 Male /meɪl/ 18 Wage /weɪdʒ/
5 Base /beɪs/ 19 Sake /seɪk/
6 Safety /seɪfti/ 20 Cake /keɪk/
7 Scale /skeɪl/ 21 Rate /reɪt/
8 Race /reɪs/ 22 Pale /peɪl/
9 Age /eɪdʒ/ 23 Rage /reɪdʒ/
10 Phase /feɪz/ 24 Lace /leɪs/
11 Plate /pleɪt/ 25 Blade /bleɪd/
12 Date /deɪt/ 26 Dame /deɪm/
13 Same /seɪm/ 27 Snake /sneɪk/
14 Case /keɪs/ 28 Ale /eɪl/

1.3.2 Through (a + tion)

If the letter (a) comes before the part (tion), the letter (a) is going to pronounce /eɪ/.

a + tion
/eɪ/ /ʃn/

Reservation
/ʃn/
/eɪ/
/rezəveɪʃn/

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List of words:
NO. Word Transcribe No. Word Transcribe
1 admiration /ædməreɪʃn/ 15 adaptation /ædəpteɪʃn/
2 estimation /estɪmeɪʃn/ 16 imitation /ɪmɪteɪʃn/
3 filtration /fɪltreɪʃn/ 17 nation /neɪʃn/
4 population /pɒpjəleɪʃn/ 18 vacation /veɪkeɪʃn/
5 regulation /reɡjəleɪʃn/ 19 civilization /sɪvlaɪzeɪʃn/
6 invitation /ɪnvɪteɪʃn/ 20 destination /destɪneɪʃn/
7 dedication /dedɪkeɪʃn/ 21 communication /kəmjuːnɪkeɪʃn/
8 simulation /sɪmjəleɪʃn/ 22 application /æplɪkeɪʃn/
9 aspiration /æspɪreɪʃn/ 23 obligation /ɒblɪɡeɪʃn/

1.3.3 Through (a + y)
If the letter (a) comes with the letter (y), They are going to pronounce /eɪ/.

a +y together /eɪ/.

List of words:
NO. Word Transcribe No. Word Transcribe
1 way /weɪ/ 15 day /deɪ/
2 halfway /hɑːfweɪ/ 16 ashtray /æʃtreɪ/
3 staying /steɪ/ 17 payment /peɪmənt/
4 paying /peɪ/ 18 clay /kleɪ/
5 stray /streɪ/ 19 pray /preɪ/
6 sway /sweɪ/ 20 outlay /aʊtleɪ/
7 spray /spreɪ/ 21 gray /ɡreɪ/
8 betray /bɪˈtreɪ/ 22 decay /dɪkeɪ/
9 fray /freɪ/ 23 satay /sæteɪ/

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1.3.4 Through (a + i)
If the letter (a) comes with the letter (i), They are going to pronounce /eɪ/.
For example ) 1- plaintive = /pleɪn.tɪv/ . 2- plain = /pleɪn/ …etc

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