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.

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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 , for example.

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Diphthongs are represented by two symbols, for example English "same" as ,

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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 , , and in RP or and in Irish. Some languages contrast short and long diphthongs. In Portuguese, diphthongs are divided, like the vowels, in two classes: oral and nasal.

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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.

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Phonetics: :This article is about linguistics. For the voicemail transcription service, see Phonetic (service)...

Greek: The noun Greek refers to:...

Vowel: In phonetics, a vowel is a sound in spoken language that is characterized by an open configuration of the vocal tract where there is no build-up of air pressure above the glottis, in contrast to consonants, which are characterized by a constriction or closure at one or more points along the vocal tr...