TRIPHTHONGS IN ENGLISH
It is known that in English Phonetics and Phonology, there is a phenomenon called triphthongs, they occur when a vowel sound glides from a starting point to a second one and then moving to a third one. Thus, triphthongs are not that simple to perceive because the movements are smooth. In other words, triphthongs in English are the combination of closing diphthongs and an ending schwa sound. There are only five cases of triphthongs in English.
/eɪə/: This triphthong starts in short vowel sound /e/ and quickly moves to a frontal /ɪ/
sound to be ended in the central short vowel /ə/.
Example: Player, say, clay.
/aɪə/: This triphthong starts in open vowel sound /a/ and quickly moves to a frontal /ɪ/ sound to be ended in the central short vowel /ə/.
Example: Fire, dire, Ireland.
/ɔɪə/: This triphthong starts in back vowel sound /ɔ/ and moves to a frontal /ɪ/ sound to be ended in the central short vowel /ə/.
Examples: Coil, royal, employ.
/aʊə/: This triphthong starts in open vowel sound /a/ and moves to a back sound /ʊ/ sound to be ended in the central short vowel /ə/.
Example: Hour, sour, flour
/əʊə/: This triphthong starts in neutral vowel
sound //ə/ and moves to a back sound /ʊ/
sound to be ended in the central short vowel
/ə/.
Example: Lower, mower, widower.
Here are some words with triphthongs. Listen
and repeat.
1. Hour
2. Fire
3. Cure
4. Player
5. Our
6. Lower
7. Year
8. Buyer
9. Flyer
10. Higher
Images and information from Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia
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