Diphthong Sounds by Vowels

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Diphthong Sounds by Vowels

A diphthong is a complex sound made by gliding from one vowel sound to another within the same syllable, as in boy and out. Technically, a diphthong is such a sound that consists of two vowels, and a triphthong is such a sound that consists of three vowels. However, many people will refer to both combinations generally using the term diphthong.

Some vowel sounds have three or four diphthongs, as in:
ra·dio /ˈreɪdiˌoʊ/
oa·sis /oʊˈeɪsəs/
choir /ˈkwajɚ/

In the other hand, hiatus or also called diaeresis refers to two vowel sounds occurring in adjacent syllables, with no intervening consonant. When two adjacent vowel sounds occur in the same syllable, the result is instead described as a diphthong.

Hiatus examples:
di·as·po·ra /daɪˈæspərə/
pro·nun·ci·a·tion /prəˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃən/
hi·a·tus /haɪˈeɪtəs/
di·aer·e·sis \daɪˈerəsəs/

Diphthong Sounds by Vowels:

I and Y

13. /aɪ/
Group 1: i, i+consonant+vowel, i+consonan+consonant (-igh, -ind, -imb)    I, spiral, high, kind, climb
Group 2: i+consonant+e silent  like
Group 3: y  cry
Group 4: ie  tried
Group 5: y+consonant+e silent, y+consonant+l+e silent    rhyme, cycle
Group 6: y+e silent   eye

EI

13. /aɪ/
Group 1: uy  buy

UY and UI

13. /aɪ/
Group 1: ei+ght   height
Group 2: g or q+ui+consonant+e silent    guide

OU and OW

14. /aʊ/
Group 1: ou+consonant(consonant)  shout, sound
Group 2: ow   crowd
Group 2: ou+consonant+e silent, ou+nc+e silent   route, ounce

OI and OY

15. /oɪ/
Group 1: oi  join
Group 2: oy  boy
Group 3: oi+consonant+e silent, oy+consonant+e silent   noise, Joyce

No Diphthong Sounds (Double vowels)

A, AI, AY, EI, and EA

3. /eɪ/
Group 1: a (included a+consonant+e silent)  famous
Group 2: ai+consonant  train
Group 3: ay  day
Group 4: ei+gh  weight
Group 5: ea+consonant  great

O, OW,and OA

10. /oʊ/
Group 1: o  so
Group 2: o+consonant+e silent  wrote
Group 3: ow  slow
Group 4: oa+consonant  road

The Diphthongs vowels in English (/aɪ/, /aʊ/, and /oɪ/) are double sounds made up of two distict parts, that is, two different sounds.

The /aɪ/ vowel sound begins with the LOW/CENTRAl sound and ends with a HIGH/FRONT sound.

The /aʊ/ vowel sound begins with the LOW/CENTRAL sound and ends with a HIGH/BACK sound.

The /oɪ/ vowel sound begins with the LOW/BACK sound and ends with a HIGH/FRONT sound.

Diphthongs refers to two adjacent vowel sounds occurring within the same syllable. Technically, the diphthongs are double vowels that have the most tongue movement. The diphthongs move through the vowel chart as they are pronounced: they start at one vowel-position, and move towards another.

In the other hand, some tense vowels are also written with two letters because they also have some diphthong-like tongue and face movement, but they are not diphthongs because they begin and end in the same vowel position.

The following vowel sounds are not diphthongs:

The /eɪ/ vowel sound begins and ends with a MIDDLE/FRONT sound.

The /oʊ/ vowel sound begins and ends with a MIDDLE/BACK sound.

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