ENGLISH DIPHTHONGS Hartono, S.S., M.Pd. College of Language (COLASULA) Sultan Agung Islamic University

Definition: Diphthong: Sounds which consist of a movement or glide from one vowel to another. Pure Vowel: A vowel which remains constant does not glide.

Diphthongs have the same length as the long vowels. The first part (sound) is much longer and stronger than the second part. Example: aɪ in the words ‘eye’ and ‘ɪ ’ consists of the ‘a’ vowel, and only in about the last quarter of the diphthong, does the glide to ‘ɪ’ becomes noticeable.

English has 8 diphthongs. Centering diphthong: 1. three (3) ending in ‘ə’ : ɪə, eə, uə Closing diphthong 2. three (3) ending in ‘ɪ’: eɪ, aɪ, ɔɪ 3. two (2) ending in ‘u’: əu, au

EXAMPLES: ɪə : beard, weird, fierce, ear, beer, tear eə: aired, cairn, scarce, bear, hair, uə: moored, tour, lure, sure, pure eɪ : paid, pain, face, shade, age, wait, taste, paper aɪ: tide, time, nice, buy, bike, pie, eye, kite, fine ɔɪ: void, loin, voice, oil, boil, coin, toy, Roy əu: load, home, most, bone, phone, boat, bowl au: loud, gown, house, cow, bow, brow, grouse

TRIPTHONGS A triphthong is a glide from one vowel to another and the to a third, all produced rapidly and without interruption. For example, a careful pronunciation of the word ‘hour’ begins with a vowel quality similar to ‘ɑ:’, goes on to ‘u’ then ends in ‘ə’. It says /auə/

Triphthong : 5 closing diphthongs with ‘ə’ added on the end. - eɪ + ə = eɪə . As in layer, player - aɪ + ə = aɪə. As in lire, fire - ɔɪ + ə = ɔɪə, As in loyal, royal - əu + ə = əuə, as in lower, mower - au + ə = auə, as in power, hour.

PRACTICE THE FOLLOWING WORDS Edge barge page voyage percentage weight fright pain poppies pepper Machine sing noise shy spoilt Frightened stars darn sigh shorn Horse how’s hose harms owl all

Tour found goose class annoys home Soup mouse snow serve gnaws Though through pea beer pier their They’re stare pain closed again ears