DIPHTHONGS

Prepared by:
Skakun Alina, FL-17

Lviv 2016
Definition
• The word diphthong comes from the Latin word
"diphthongus" and the Greek word "diphthongos,"
meaning "having two sounds."
• Diphthongs begin with one vowel sound and change to
another vowel sound in the same syllable. Your mouth
position changes slightly through the vowel sound.
 There are eight diphthongs commonly used in
English: /eɪ/, /aɪ/, /əʊ/, /aʊ/, /ɔɪ/, /ɪə/, /eə/, and /ʊə/.
 /eɪ/
This diphthong is similar to the long A sound. It is
pronounced as a long A sound sliding into a long E sound. Some
dialects pronounce the long A sound as one single sound (like in
bake and late). Others pronounce it as two vowel sounds. It really
depends on where you live. People with southern accents (from
the south part of the United States) will stretch out the diphthong
more.
Some words: say
day
pray
pay
 This diphthong is pronounced as a long I sound sliding into a long E

/aɪ/ sound. Again, this sound can vary from dialect to dialect. Some dialects
pronounce the long I sound in the following words as one single sound. Some
dialects pronounce the vowel sound more like the "AH" sound you would
here in "ball". Others pronounce it as two vowel sounds.
sky
try
fry
die
cry
tie
why
eye
 This diphthong is pronounced as a long O sound that quickly slides into a
/ɔɪ/ long E sound.

boy toy
annoy
/ɪə/ This diphthong is pronounced as a long E sound sliding into an /ər/ sound.

pier
hear
steer
clear
fear
deer
ear
 This diphthong is pronounced as a long A sound sliding into an Ur sound. Try saying these words:
/eə/ (the diphthong is in red)

bear
hair
fair
stairs
/aʊ/ This diphthong is pronounced as a short A sound sliding into an “oo” sound.

brown
cow
how
frownn
ow
wow
/oʊ/ This diphthong is often just pronounced as a single long O sound. As a diphthong, it has a long O
sound sliding into an “oo” sound.

yellow coat
float though
toe
no
low
although
/ʊə/ This diphthong is pronounced as a long “oo” sound sliding into an /ər/ sound.

poor
sure
tour
cure
Interesting
 The phrase:
‘no highway cowboys’
/noʊ ˈhaɪweɪ ˈkaʊbɔɪz/
has five distinct diphthongs, one in every syllable.
 The pronunciation of different diphthongs varies from dialect to dialect.
Thanks for your attention 