Diphthongs Guide

Universidad de Carabobo
FACE
Dpto. Idiomas Modernos
Cátedra: Desarrollo Fonológico II
Prof. Emily Moreno

Diphthongs guide:

Front closing diphthongs:

/aI/

Orthographic representation:

i island, sign, bicycle, child.
i+ C+ e side, while, hide, knife.
y my, cycle, magnify, analyze
igh high, night, sight, right.
ie lie, die, tie, society.

/eI/

Orthographic representation:

a nation, potato, naval, ancient.
a+ C+ e late, ache, lake, make.
ai rain, mail, sail, train.
ay pay, bay, pray, May.
ea steak, break, great.
ei eight, eighteen, their, eighth.
ey they.

/ I/

Orthographic representation:

oi noise, coil, point, choice.
oy toy, destroy, employ, soy.

Back closing diphthongs:

/au/

Orthographic representation:

ow shower, how, flower, powder.
ou loud, out, doubt, proud.

/ou/

Orthographic representation:

o go, open, so, old.
o+ C+ e note, wrote, smoke, slope.
oa coat, boat, road, toast.
ou soul, though, doughnut.
ow row, show, window, tow.
oe toe, Joe.

Unusual spelling: ew sew.

Centering diphthongs
/ Iә, uә, eә/

They are very common in BrE because they are found in final position in on-rothic dialects. In AmE, they are found before /r/ and /l/.

/Iә/ fear, cereal, queer.

/uә/ poor, cure, casual.

/eә/ tear, bear, wear.

Too see more about diphthongs: http://yorku.ca/earmstro/ipa/diphthongs.html