Diphthong

In phonetics, a dipthong (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 pingüino

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 Ariège

Diphthongs in Finnish

as in laiva

as in keinu

as in poika

as in uida

as in lyijy

as in äiti

as in öisin

as in kieli

as in lauha

as in leuto

as in viulu

as in koulu

as in leyhyä

as in siistiytyä

as in täysi

as in löytää

as in suo

as in yö

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 Füess 'feet'

as in Schue 'shoes'

as in Stou 'holdup'

as in Stau 'stable'

as in Staau 'steel'

as in Wäut 'world'

as in wääut 'elects'

as in tschúud '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

Diphthong

See also