Diphthong
In
phonetics, a
diphthong is a vowel combination usually involving a quick but smooth movement from one vowel to another, often interpreted by listeners as a single vowel sound or
phoneme.
While "pure" vowels are said to have one target tongue position, diphthongs have a moving tongue.
Pure vowels are represented in phonetic script by one symbol:
English "seem" as [si:m], for example.
Diphthongs are represented by two symbols, for example English "same" as [seim],
where the two vowel symbols are intended to represent approximately the beginning
and ending tongue positions.
Diphthongs in English: [5]
- [au] as in house
- [ai] as in kite
- [ei] as in same
- [@u] as in hope
- [oi] as in join. (see SAMPA/English for more)
Diphthongs in
Spanish:
- [ja] as in comedia
- [je] as in tierra
- [jo] as in dió
- [wa] as in guante
- [we] as in fuego
- [wi] as in pingüino
- [aj] as in hay
- [ej] as in rey
- [oj] as in hoy
- [aw] as in Jauja
Diphthongs in
French:
- [wa] and in roi
- [wi] as in oui
- [Hi] as in huit
- [ja~] as in bien
- [jE] as in Aričge
Diphthongs in
German:
- [aj] as in Reich
- [aw] as in Maus
- [oj] as in neu