DIPHTHOngs
Diphthongs vary in length in the same way as long as vowels (play - played - plane; toy - toys - voice). Variations of length affect mainly the nucleus, not the glide: play [ple:i] - plays [ple'iz] - plate [pleit]. [oi]- production of articulation. [ai] [ɔi] [ɔu] [au] [iə] [εə] [uə]
[ei]- production of articulation.
As you know there are eight diphthongs in English:
three with a glide towards [i] - [ei], [ai], [ɔi]
two with a glide towards [ʋ] - [au], [ɔu]
three with a glide towards [ɔ] - [iɔ], [çɔ], [ʋɔ]
The three English diphthongs with an [i] - glide [ei], [ai], [ɔi] are pronounced as follows.
The diphthong [ei] is pronounced with the bulk of the tongue in the front part of the mouth cavity. During the pronunciation of the nucleus of this diphthong
the front of the tongue is raised in the direction of the hard palate, as for [e].
The nucleus of the diphthong [ei] is practically the same as the Vowel [e] - front mid-narrow unrounded.
After completing the nucleus, the front of the tongue glides still higher, moving in the direction of the [i], but the actual formation of [i] is not accomplished.
During the pronunciation of both the nucleus and the glide the lips are spread.
The opening between the jaws is rather narrow, a little wider for nucleus than for the glide.
The diphthong [ei] is often replaced by the monophthong [e], which is sometimes lengthened and becomes [e:]. The glide of the diphthong [ei] (as well as of [ai]
and [ɔɔi] is usually replaced by the distinct vowels [i], [i:] or by the consonant [j]. In order to prevent these mistakes the gliding movement of the tongue to
pronounce these sounds. As a matter of fact, the glide should sound like a very weak.
The English diphthong [ei] resembles the Russian sound combination [ýé] in such words as ëåéêà, èùåéêà.
The diphthong [ai] is pronounced with the bulk of the tongue in the front of the mouth cavity, but slightly retracted. During the pronunciation of the nucleus of
the diphthong the front of the tongue is slightly raised, but lower than for [æ].
Thus the nucleus may be defined as front-retracted low-broad unrounded. During the glide the front of the tongue moves higher, in the direction of [i], but without
reaching it. The glide of [ai] sounds like a weak [e]. The opening between the jaws is rather wide for the nucleus and much narrower for the glide.
Russian learners are apt to replace the nucleus of the English diphthong [ai] by the English [a:]. In order to prevent or correct this mistake it is necessary to
pronounce a vowel intermediate in quality between the English [æ] and the Russian [a]. The nearest Russian approximation to the nucleus of the English diphthong
[ai] is the Russian vowel [a] between two palatalized consonants, as in the words ïÿòü, ÷àé.
[ï'àò'] ïÿòü - [pai] pie; [÷ài] ÷àé - [tʃainə] Chine.
During the pronunciation of the nucleus of the diphthong [oi] the bulk of the tongue is in the back part of the mouth; the back of the tongue is slightly raised,
though it is not so low as for the vowel [a]. The lips are slightly rounded.
Thus the nucleus may be defined as back low-narrow slightly rounded.
In pronouncing the glide the tongue moves forward in the direction of the position for [i], without actually reaching it. The glide sounds like a weak [e]. The
opening between the jaws is wide for the nucleus and much narrower for the glide.
Russian learner are apt to replace the nucleus of the diphthong [oi] by the Russian vowel [o]. In order to prevent or correct this mistake the same directions
should be given as for the prevention and correction of the mistakes in the pronunciation of the English vowel [a].
i -like; ó - my; igh - high; ie, ye - tie, rye; i + nd - kind, find;
i + Id - child, mild; ei - height; ign - sign.
The nucleus of the diphthong is central, open (broad variant), ungrounded.
The sound starts from the advanced vowel [ö] with the mouth wide open and the lips neutral. For the glide the tongue moves upwards in the direction of [i], with the mouth very narrowly open and the lips spread and not rounded.
The sound [ai] occurs in all positions of the word (ice, time,fly).
In the open syllables the nucleus of the diphthongs is the longest, it is shorter in the closed syllable followed by a weak consonant, and it is the shortest in the closed syllable before a strong voiceless consonant (tie - tied - tight).
The Russian sound combination [aj] starts from a less front position and ends in the sonorant [aj] (lie - ëàé, my - ìàé).
The nucleus is too back. Russian learners should not practice over retraction.
The second element is too prominent. Care should be taken to make it very weak and not glide to a too close position.
oi - noise; oy - boy, enjoy.
The nucleus of the diphthong is back, open (narrow variant), slightly rounded.
The nucleus lies between the sounds [þ] and [ɔ]. It starts with the position between back half-open and open for the glide the tongue moves upwards in the direction of [i], though the tongue rarely reaches there. The lips are slightly rounded for the nucleus changing neutral for the glide.
The sound [ɔi] occurs in all positions of the word (oyster, voice, toy).
The nucleus of the diphthong is longer in the open syllable, it is shorter in the closed syllable followed by a weak consonant and it is the shortest in the closed syllable (before a strong voiceless consonant) boy - boys - voice.
The Russian sound combination [oj] starts from a closer position and ends in the sonorant [j] (boy - áîé).
1. If the nucleus is too close the back part of the tongue should be kept lower.
2. Russians can easily replace the diphthong [ɔi] by the Russian sound combination [oj].When [oj] is heard make sure that the second element is very weak.
The nucleus of the diphthong is central, mid (narrow variant), unrounded.
The starting point of the tongue position is similar to that of [ɔ:]; it starts with a central position, between half-close and half-open for the glide the tongue moves upwards in the direction of [u] there being a slight closing move-ment of the lower jaw. The lips are neutral for the first element and get slightly rounded for the second.
The sound [ɔu] occurs in all positions of the word (open, road).
The nucleus of the diphthong [ɔU] is longer in the open syllable, it is shorter in the closed syllable with a weak consonant at the end, it is much shorter in the closed syllable ending in a strong voiceless consonant (go - goal - goat).
The Russian sound [o] so much more back than the nu cleus of the English diphthong [ɔu], it is pronounced with the rounded and protruded lips. The nucleus of the English diph thong is Central but not back. The glide is very weak, the lip are neutral (low - øîó).
If the nucleus is [o] - like give it the shade of the Russian [ý].
If the nucleus is [e] - like give it the shade of the Russian [î].
[ýó] the glide is too strong. In this case do not make the glide too close and the lips too rounded for it, make it very weak.
ou - house; ow - now; ough - bough.
The nucleus of the diphthong is central, open (broad variant), unrounded.
The starting point of the diphthong is between the back and front open positions. The sound starts with the position slightly more retracted than for the nucleus of the diphthong [ai] and more advanced than for the vowel [a:]. For the glide the tongue moves upwards in the direction of [u], the mouth gets closer. The lips are neutral for the first element and get slightly rounded for the second.
The sound [au] occurs in all positions of the word (out - town - now).
The nucleus of the diphthong [au] is longer in the open syllable. It is shorter in the closed syllable before a weak voiced consonant and still shorter before a voiceless consonant (allow - owl - out).
The Russian sound combination [ay] consists of two equal elements and the sound [y] is often a more prominent vowel pronounced with strongly rounded and protruded lips (how- Áàóìàí).
The nucleus is too back. The glide is too strong and close. Start the diphthong with a more advanced position very close to the vowel [ö]. Make the glide very weak. The lips are not at all protruded and are only slightly rounded.
front - retracted, close (broad variant), unrounded vowel [i] (not [I:]).
The nucleus is the vowel [i]. For the glide the tongue moves in the direction of the neutral vowel [ə]. The lips are slightly spread for the nucleus and are neutral for the glide.
The diphthong [iə] occurs in all positions of the word (ear - ears - pierce).
The nucleus of the diphthong is longer in the open syllable. It is shorter in the closed syllable with a weak voiced consonant at the end and it is much shorter in the closed syllable with a strong voiceless consonant at the end (beer - beard - theatre).
The Russian sound combination starts with a closer sound and ends in a very strong open vowel (fierce - ôèàëêà).Thå English diphthong is nearer to the unstressed position of the Russian combination [èà] like in "ïèàíèíî".
[uə] - the nucleus should be less close and less front.
[ia] - the glide is too strong. It should be noticeably weaker.
[i:] - a monophthongal variant. It is often heard in polysyllabic words where the diphtongs meet twice (serious, period, materialism).
front, open (narrow variant), unrounded.
The nucleus of this diphthong is a vowel between [e] and [ç]. The tongue is in the half-open front position.
For the glide the tongue moves in the direction of the neutral sound [ ə]. The lips are neutral
The diphthong [εə] occurs in all positions of the word (airy - various -hair).
The nucleus of the diphthong is much longer in final position. In closed syllables ending in a weak consonant it is shorter, it is the shortest before a strong consonant (care - cared - scarce).
The Russian sound combination [ýà] is equal in its elements, though it is a rare combination for Russian (care - îêåàí).
1. [ea] the starting point is too close. In this case the tongue should be kept much lower in the mouth.
2. [εə] the second element is too strong, it should be weaker.
The nucleus of the diphthong is back-advanced, close (broad variant), slightly rounded.
The nucleus of the diphthong is the vowel [u] (not [u:]). for the glide the tongue moves towards the neutral sound [ə], the mouth gets more open. The lips are slightly rounded and get neutral as the mouth opens for [ý].
The sound [uə] occurs in the middle and at the end of the words (during - tour).
The nucleus of the diphthong is longer in the open syllable and shorter in the closed syllable (cure - cured).
In recent years the diphthong [ɔə] is often observed as a variant of the sound [uə] in final position in such common words as sure, poor.
Comparison with the Russian sound combination [ya]:
This sound combination is not common for the Russian language, it is mostly met in borrowed words. The elements of the combination are equal in their prominence. The first element is pronounced with strongly rounded and protruded lips (tour - òóàëåò).
[óý]. Care should be taken not to round the lips very strongly. There is no protrusion whatsoever, the nucleus is less close and less back.
[ua] or [uə]. The glide should be made much weaker.