TON DUC THANG UNIVERSITY

Faculty of Foreign Languages

Division of Linguistics - Culture - Literature
PHONETICS & PHONOLOGY - 001199

CHAPTER 2: VOWELS

Lecturer: Ho Phuong Thao

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CHAPTER 2: VOWELS

• English short vowels

• English long vowels
• Diphthongs
• Triphthongs

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 English long vowels – p.16
• ɔː nearly close-mid, almost fully
back and has strong lip-
rounding.
• Board
• Law
• War
• Horse
• Chore
• Wall
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 English long vowels – p.16
• ɑː an open vowel, not as back as
cardinal 5, the lip position is neutral.
• Pass
• Father
• Start
• Hard
• Card

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English long vowels – p.16
• ɜː a mid-central vowel (as a
hesitation sound), the lip position
is neutral.
• Nurse
• Learn
• Refer
• Bird
• Stir

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English long vowels – p.16
• u: near to cardinal vowel 8 [u], much less
back and less close, the lips are only
moderately rounded.
• Two
• Blue
• Group
• Food
• Shampoo

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DIPHTHONGS

1) What is a diphthong?
2) How many diphthongs are there in English?
3) Describe the characteristics of diphthongs.
4) What are 2 kinds of diphthongs? How different are
they?

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 DIPHTHONGS
• diphthongs - sounds which
consist of a movement or
glide from one vowel to
another.
• A diphthong always forms
just one syllable.
• the first part is much
longer and stronger than
the second part.
• The total number of
diphthongs is 8.
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 DIPHTHONGS
The centring diphthongs glide towards the /ə/
(schwa) vowel.
• /ɪə/(example words: 'beard', 'weird', 'fierce')
The starting point is a little closer than /ɪ/ in
'bit', 'bin‘
• Beer
• Tear
• Fierce
• Beard
• Fear
• Cheerful
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 DIPHTHONGS
The centring diphthongs glide towards the /ə/
(schwa) vowel.
• /eə/ (example words: 'aired', 'cairn', 'scarce') This
diphthong begins with a
vowel sound that is more open than the /e/ of
'get', 'men'.
• Bear
• Scared
• Chair
• Hair
• Wear
• Their
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 DIPHTHONGS
The centring diphthongs glide towards the /ə/
(schwa) vowel
• /ʊə/ (example words: 'moored', 'tour', 'lure')
For speakers who have this diphthong, this
has a starting point similar to /ʊ/ in 'put',
'pull'.
• Tour
• tournament /ˈtʊənəmənt/
• Poor
• jury /ˈdʒʊəri/
• Sure
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 DIPHTHONGS
Three of the diphthongs glide towards /ɪ/,
as described below:
• /eɪ/ (example words: 'paid', 'pain', 'face')
The starting point is the same as the /e/
of 'get', 'men‘
• Pay
• Face
• Date
• Wait
• Eight
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 DIPHTHONGS
Three of the diphthongs glide towards /ɪ/, as
described below:
• /aɪ/ (example words: 'tide', 'time', 'nice') This
diphthong begins with an open vowel which
is between front and back.
• Rice
• Nine
• Guide
• Fight
• Type
• Bye
• Tie
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 DIPHTHONGS
Three of the diphthongs glide towards
/ɪ/, as described below:
• /ɔɪ/ (example words: 'void', 'loin',
'voice') The first part of this
diphthong is slightly more open than
/ɔː/ in 'ought', 'born'.
• Voice
• Boy
• Noise
• Enjoy
• Appointment /ə'pɔɪntmənt/

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 DIPHTHONGS
Two diphthongs glide towards /ʊ/
• /əu/ (example words: 'load', 'home', 'most')
The vowel position for the beginning of
this is the same as for the "schwa" vowel
/ə/
• The lips may be slightly rounded in
anticipation of the glide towards /ʊ/, for
which there is quite noticeable lip-
rounding.

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/əu/
• Go
• Road
• Boat
• October
• Shoulder
• Most
• Slow
• Toe
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 DIPHTHONGS
• Two diphthongs glide towards /ʊ/
• /au/ This diphthong begins with a vowel
similar to /aɪ/ .
• Since this is an open vowel, a glide to /ʊ/
would necessitate a large movement, and
the tongue often does not reach the u
position.
• There is only slight lip-rounding.

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/au/
• How
• House
• Cow
• Out
• Loud
• Mountain

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TRIPHTHONGS

• A triphthong is a glide from one vowel to another and then

to a third, all produced rapidly and without interruption.

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TRIPHTHONGS

Triphthong : 5 closing diphthongs with ‘ə’ added on the end.

• eɪ + ə = eɪə (layer, player, mayor, slayer )
• aɪ + ə = aɪə (liar, fire, hire, mire, higher )
• ɔɪ + ə = ɔɪə (loyal, royal, soya, employer)
• əʊ + ə = əuə (lower, slower, mower, rower)
• aʊ + ə = auə (power, hour, tower, shower, flower)

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 Triphthongs: 1 syllable or 2?
a) Higher
• Words such as 'fire' /faɪə /or 'hour'
/auə/ are probably felt by most b) Power
English speakers (with BBC c) Mower
pronunciation) to consist of only one d) Liar
syllable. e) Rower
• whereas “player” /ˈpleɪə/ or “slower”
f) Hour
/’sləʊə/ are more likely to be heard as
two syllables. g) Lower
h) Slayer
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 Homework assignment

Read the materials and do the exercises below:

• [1]: 22-30
• [2]: 22-24

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