Diphthong (Noun)
Meaning
A vowel sound that starts near the articulatory position for one vowel and moves toward the position for another.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The word "boy" contains the diphthong /ɔɪ/, a sound that begins with the lips rounded and then the tongue lifts to a higher position.
- In some dialects of English, the word "price" contains the diphthong /aɪ/, with a gliding sound from the open position to a closer position.
- The diphthong in the word "house" varies by accent, but in some varieties of English, it's pronounced as /aʊ/ with the tongue moving towards the back of the mouth.
- In the pronunciation of the word "out," many English speakers produce the diphthong /aʊ/ starting with an open, open-mid position, then moving towards a more closed position.
- The diphthong in the word "voice" has the phonetic transcription /ɔɪ/, transitioning between vowel sounds from open to close.