Diphthong

In phonetics, a diphthong (Greek δίφθογγος, "diphthongos", literally "with two sounds") 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.

Related Topics:
Phonetics - Greek - Vowel - Quick but smooth movement - Phoneme

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While "pure" vowels, or monophthongs, are said to have one target tongue position, diphthongs have a moving tongue.

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Pure vowels are represented in the International Phonetic Alphabet by one symbol:

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English "sum" as {{IPA|}}, for example.

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Diphthongs are represented by two symbols, for example English "same" as {{IPA|}},

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where the two vowel symbols are intended to represent approximately the beginning

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and ending tongue positions.

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Falling diphthongs are stressed on the first element; rising diphthongs on the second. In Closing diphthongs, the second element is closer than the first; in opening diphthongs, more opened. A centering diphthong is one that begins with a more peripheral vowel and ends with a more central one, such as {{IPA|}}, {{IPA|}}, and {{IPA|}} in RP or {{IPA|}} and {{IPA|}} in Irish. Some languages contrast short and long diphthongs. In Portuguese, diphthongs are divided, like the vowels, in two classes: oral and nasal.

Related Topics:
Closer - RP - Irish - Portuguese

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The unstressed elements of the diphthongs may be transcribed as semivowels. However, when the whole diphthong is analysed as being one single phoneme, both elements are often transcribed as vowels.

Related Topics:
Semivowel - Phoneme

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