diphthong

Other Definitions
diphthong (dict)

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. While "pure" vowels, or monophthongs, are said to have one target tongue position, diphthongs have a moving tongue. Pure vowels are represented in the International Phonetic Alphabet by one symbol: English "seem" as [], for example. Diphthongs are represented by two symbols, for example English "same" as m, where the two vowel symbols are intended to represent approximately the beginning and ending tongue positions. 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. Some languages contrast short and long diphthongs. 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. Diphthongs in English:

as in house
as in kite
as in same
as in few (This is phonemically analyzed as a sequence of a semivowel and a monophthong.)
as in hope
as in join

(see International Phonetic Alphabet for English for more) Diphthongs in British English (RP):

as in hope
as in house
as in kite
as in same
as in few (This is phonemically analyzed as a sequence of a semivowel and a monophthong.)
as in join
as in fear
as in hair
as in poor
as in more

The latter four diphthongs also occur in Boston English. Diphthongs in Spanish:

as in comedia
as in tierra
as in dio
as in ciudad
as in guante
as in fuego
as in pingino
as in ambiguo
as in hay
as in rey
as in hoy
as in muy
as in Jauja
as in feudo

Some Diphthongs in French:

as in roi
as in oui
as in huit
as in bien
as in Arige

Diphthongs in Finnish

as in laiva
as in keinu
as in poika
as in uida
as in lyijy
as in iti
as in isin
as in kieli
as in lauha
as in leuto
as in viulu
as in koulu
as in leyhy
as in siistiyty
as in tysi
as in lyt
as in suo
as in y

Diphthongs in German:

as in Reich
as in Maus
as in neu

Diphthongs in Northern Sami

as in leat
as in giella
as in boahtit
as in vuodjat

Some Diphthongs in Bernese German (a Swiss German dialect):

as in Bier 'beer'
as in Fess 'feet'
as in Schue 'shoes'
as in Stou 'holdup'
as in Stau 'stable'
as in Staau 'steel'
as in Wut 'world'
as in wut 'elects'
as in tschud 'guilty'

In Italian a vowel combination can be a dittongo (en. diphthong) or a iato (en. hiatus).

paùra, faìna are not diphthongs.
zaino, fuori, Europa are diphthongs.
fuoco, fiume are rising diphthongs.
faida, feudo are falling diphthongs.

Diphthong

See also