diphthongs

Prof. R. Paderni Formal description of diphthongs.

General description of English diphthongs

.

English diphthong:

Prominence of the element:

falling: (diminuendo) the first element is more

prominent than the second one.

rising: (crescendo) the second element is more

prominent than the first one. Only and in

unstressed position can be rising.

e.g. serious influence

By default, all English diphthongs are falling.

Direction of the movement of the tongue:

closing glide:

centring glide:

Distance bet. the first and second element:

narrow diph: short glide

wide diph: long glide

Quality

1. Part of the tongue raised the highest; 2. Height

of the tongue; 3. Lips posture (us. the same as the first

pure vowel); 4. Opening bet. the jaws; 5. Tenseness;

6. Position of the soft palate; 7. Voicing.

Phonological distribution

All diphthongs occur in initial (except ), mid,

and final position.

Diphthongs do not occur before except where

word-final /n/ is assimilated to

Triphthong:. Especially closing diph

Smoothing: elision of the second element.

Length variations in diphthongs are governed by

the same rules as length variations affecting the

relatively long pure vowels.

The quantity variants of the English falling

diphthongs mainly affect the first element.

Allophones. Diphthongs share some

characteristics of long vowels.

They are fully long before lenis sound and in

final position

They undergoe the process of Pre-fortis clipping:

shortened before a fortis consonant or a

nasal/liquid + fortis cons.

Spelling-to-sound rules, and exceptions.

Rules that determine wich letter or combination

of letters correspond to the pronunciation of the

diphthong described.

front centre back close

mid-close

mid-open

open

Quality

Highest part of the tongue:

Height of the tongue:

Lips position:

Opening bet. the jaws:

Tenseness:

Soft palate:

Vocal folds:


Initial position: own

Mid position: broke

Final position: toe

does not normally occur before

Triphthong: as lower

Smoothing: slower

Allophones (different varation or realization)

Fully long before lenis sound and in final position

go

Shortened before a fortis consonant or a

nasal/liquid + fortis cons. (Pre-fortis clipping)

post boat

Spelling-to-sound rules

know

oak

broke

shoulder

toe

Minority spelling (exceptions)

brooch

sew

I know that he hit an oak and broke his

shoulder and toe

centre

bet. Open-m & C-mid

neutrally to weakly rounded

closed (midC to C)

tense

raised

vibration


mid-close

mid-open

open

Prominence:

falling

Glide:

central-closing

Distance:

narrow

Length:

long

Quality



Lips position:


Tenseness:

Soft palate:

Vocal folds:


Initial position: oil

Mid position: coin

Final position: boy


Triphthong: as in loyal

Smoothing: employer

cf. lair layer homophones



soil Roy



voice point


boil, noise, choice

toy, oyster, joy


buoy

Dont destroy the coin to pay the buoy

Quality



Lips position:


Tenseness:

Soft palate:

Vocal folds:


Initial position: aim

Mid position: fame

Final position: pay


Triphthong: as in player

Smoothing: greyer

cf. lair layer homophones



main lay



mate faint


ape, ache, late, make, lady, waste, base

waist, rail, aim, rain (mid-position)

day, may (final-position)

eight, veil, weigh, rein

they, whey, prey, hey!

great, steak, break


gauge

gaol

French-ending words

fete, caf

ballet, sachet

matine, fiance

You have to pay straight away eight

dollars to see the great cake

the front

close-mid

spread

closed /closing

tense

raised

vibration


English diphthong:

the back

mid-O glides near mid-C

open rounded to neutral

medium

tense

raised

vibration

.

English diphthong:


mid-close

mid-open

open


mid-close

mid-open

open

Prominence:

falling

Glide:

front-closing

Distance:

narrow

Length:

long

Prominence:

falling

Glide:

back-closing

Distance:

wide

Length:

long

first element slightly

rounded bet. and

Quality



Lips position:


Tenseness:

Soft palate:

Vocal folds:


Initial position: owl

Mid position: loud

Final position: cow


Triphthong: as in tower

Smoothing: shower



found how



shout mouth


house

flower, allow


ablaut

Macleod

We found a flower

Quality



Lips position:


Tenseness:

Soft palate:

Vocal folds:


Initial position: ice

Mid position: rise

Final position: tie


Triphthong: as in tired

Smoothing: fire



time pie



pipe advice tight


write, hide, pile

dry, cycle, fly

high, night, right

die, lie, tie


eye

either, height, neither

aisle

buy

design, sign

maestro

The sky might be quite wild

behind the front

fully open

neutral loosely spread

wide to medium

tense

raised

vibration


English diphthong:

centre

open

neutrally open to weakly rounded

wide to medium

tense

raised

vibration

.

English diphthong:


mid-close

mid-open

open


mid-close

mid-open

open

Prominence:

falling

Glide:

front-closing

Distance:

wide

Length:

long

Prominence:

falling

Glide:

closing

Distance:

wide

Length:

long

Quality



Lips position:


Tenseness:

Soft palate:

Vocal folds:


Initial position: owl

Mid position: loud

Final position: cow


Triphthong: as in tower

Smoothing: shower



found how



shout mouth


house

flower, allow


ablaut

We found a flower

centre

open

neutrally open to weakly rounded

wide to medium

tense

raised

vibration

.

English diphthong:


mid-close

mid-open

open

Prominence:

falling

Glide:

closing

Distance:

wide

Length:

long

to be contin

ued...

Centring diphthongs

1: @U - ...2: EI OI3: aI aU4: CentringDiph

diphthongs

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