Speech sounds are divided into vowels and consonants. There are 20 vowels and 24 consonants in English. The exhaled stream of air, having met on its way tense and close vocal cords, brings them into a state of periodic oscillation, resulting in a voice or musical tone. If the air stream does not encounter a noise-forming barrier on its way, sounds are pronounced, called vowels (vowels). The characteristic vowel timbre is determined by the volume and shape of the oral and nasal cavities, which serve as resonators.

American, English and Russian researchers of the phonetic system in English repeatedly tried to create a classification of vowels. The proposed classifications differed significantly from each other, since different initial principles were taken as a basis: the position of the lips and tongue, longitude and brevity, simple and complex structure.

Depending on the articulation stability vowel sounds are divided into monophthongs, diphthongs, diphthongoids.

monophthongs(monophthongs [‘mɔnәfθɔŋz]) are vowels, during the pronunciation of which the organs of speech remain motionless, the quality of the vowel is stable. There are 10 monophthongs in English: [ɪ], [e], [æ], [υ], [ɔ], [ɔ ׃], , [ə:], [ә], [ʌ].

diphthongs- these are vowel sounds, during the articulation of which there is a smooth transition from one way of speech organs to another, since diphthongs consist of two elements representing one phoneme. The first element of diphthongs is called the nucleus (nucleus), and the second - a sliding appendage or glide (glide). The stress falls on the core of the diphthong. There are 8 diphthongs in English: , , [ɔı], , [ıə], , [əʊ], [ʊə].

Diphthongoids(diphthongoids [‘dɪfθɔngɔɪdz]) - vowel sounds, during the articulation of which there is a minimal movement of the organs of speech from one sound to another, since the components of the diphthongoid are very similar in nature and in the method of articulation. Diphthongoids are intermediate between monophthongs and diphthongs. There are 2 diphthongoids in English: [ɪ:], .

triphthongs(triphthongs ["trıfθɔŋs]) - complex vowel sounds, consisting of three vowel sounds combined in one syllable. The first element of triphthongs is always stressed and is the most “strong” component, the third element is second in strength, while the middle sound, being the weakest component, often omitted in fast or sloppy speech.Some phoneticians believe that sounds such as triphthongs are absent in English, since, in their opinion, triphthongs are a combination of diphthongs and a neutral sound.Therefore, they are defined as a complex sound There are five triphthongs: , [аıә], [əuə], [еıә], [ɔıә].

If we classify vowels according to the position of the main mass of the tongue in the oral cavity, they can be divided into:

front vowels (fully front vowels) - [ɪ:], [e], [æ], and diphthong nuclei,;

front-retracted vowels - [ɪ] and diphthong nuclei [ɪə], , ;

mixed vowels (mixed vowels) - [ə:], [ə] and the core of the diphthong [əu];

back advanced vowels (back advanced vowels) - [υ], [ʌ] and diphthong core;

back vowels (back vowels) - , [ɔ׃], [ɔ] and the core of the diphthong [ɔɪ].

When pronouncing the vowels of the first and second groups, the front of the tongue is raised towards the alveoli and the hard palate.

Mixed vowels are pronounced with a uniform raising of the back of the tongue.

When pronouncing the vowels of the fourth and fifth groups, the back of the back of the tongue is raised to the soft palate.

If you characterize vowels, taking into account vertical tongue movement, i.e. to make a classification according to the degree of raising the tongue, then it appears in the following form:

high vowels (close) - [ɪ:], [ɪ], [υ], [ıə], ;

mid-rise vowels (mid-open) - [e], [ə:], [ə], , [əu];

low vowels (open) - [æ], [ʌ], , [ɔ], , , [ɔı].

Within each of these subclasses, there are narrow and broad variations:

high rise - narrow option:,;

wide option: [ı], [ʊ] [ıə], ;

medium rise - narrow version: [e], [ə:], [ɔ:], [əʊ];

wide option: [ə];

low rise - narrow version: [ʌ], [ɔı];

wide version: [ᴂ], , [ɔ], , .

According to the position of the lips all vowels are divided into:

rounded, or labialized (rounded): [ɔ:], [ɔ], , [υ];

unrounded, or non-labialized (unrounded): [ɪ], [ɪ:], [e], [æ], , [ə:], [ә], [ʌ].

Longitudinal (or quantitative) characteristic vowels depends on the duration of the sound of their positional variants in speech. In English, there are:

long vowels: , ; [ɔ ׃], , [ə:];

short vowels: [ı], [e], [ᴂ], [ɔ], [ʊ], [ʌ], [ə].

According to the degree of tension muscles of the speech apparatus, vowels are divided into tense (all long vowels) and relaxed (all short vowels). Diphthongs can be considered semi-tense, because. by the end of their pronunciation, there is a decrease in muscle tension.

Each vowel in the IPA (International Phonetic Association) transcription system was given a corresponding number. The whole system looks like this: No. 1 -, No. 2 - [ı], No. 3 - [e], No. 4 - [ᴂ], No. 5 -, No. 6 - [ɔ], No. 7 - [ɔ:], No. 8 - [ʊ], No. 9 - , No. 10 - [ʌ], No. 11 - [ə:], No. 12 - [ə], No. 13 - , No. 14 - [əʊ], No. 15 - , No. 16 - , No. 17 - [ɔı], No. 18 - [ıə], No. 19 - , No. 20 - [ʊə].

Monophthong- a vowel sound pronounced within one stressed syllable. When pronouncing a monophthong, the organs of speech retain some fixed position.

There are 12 monophthongs in English:, [i], [u], , [e], [ə], [ə:], [ɔ], [ɔ:], [æ], [ʌ], .

On the letter it can be indicated by one letter or a combination of letters.

b u t

h er

Diphthong- a combination of two vowel elements pronounced without a pause in one stressed syllable. The first part of a diphthong is called the nucleus. The second part is called sliding.

In writing, a diphthong can be denoted by a single letter or a combination of letters.

b y

l ie

A diphthong must be distinguished from a digraph. A digraph is a combination of two letters within the same syllable.

In English, there is also a combination of three vowel elements pronounced without a pause in one stressed syllable, which is called triphthong. There are 2 triphthongs in English: and.

There are 8 diphthongs in English: , , [ɔi], , [əu], , , .

When pronouncing a diphthong, the organs of speech first take a position for its first part - nuclei, and then, "gliding smoothly", go to the second - slip.

Diphthong

The first element, the core, sound [e] is more open than outside the diphthong. To pronounce the nucleus, lift your tongue, slightly stretch your lips.

When pronouncing the second element, slip [i], the tongue rises higher, while the middle sound between [i] and [ə] is pronounced

It looks like the Russian "hey", in which the "y" is much stronger.

Diphthong

To pronounce the first element, the core, sound [a], bare your teeth and lower your lower jaw, rest the tip of your tongue against your lower teeth.

When pronouncing the second element, sliding [i], the middle part of the tongue slides up at the same time as the jaw rises, while pronouncing a sound that resembles a cross between [i] and [ə].

It looks like the Russian "ay", in which the "y" is much stronger.

Diphthong [ɔi]

When pronouncing the first element, the nucleus, lower the jaw low, rest the tip of the tongue on the lower teeth, and slightly round the lips.

Gliding goes in the direction of the sound [i].

It looks like the Russian "oy", in which the "y" sounds more distinct.

Diphthong

The first element, the core, is similar to the sound [æ]. When pronouncing, the distance between the jaws should be large enough.

The second element, slip, is somewhere between [u] and [ɔ]. During the sliding, the jaws are somewhat closer, the tongue rises, the lips are slightly rounded.

Diphthong [əu]

The first element, the core, sound [ə], is something between "o" and "e". Lower the lower jaw, slightly stretch the lips.

When pronouncing the second element, sliding [u], the jaw rises, the lips are rounded.

Diphthong

When pronouncing the first element, the core [i], the back of the tense tongue is raised high, the lips are slightly stretched.

The slide is in the direction of the neutral [ə], with the tongue moving slightly backwards.

Diphthong [ɛə]/

To pronounce the first element, the core, the sound [ɛ] / [e] (different designations are found in different sources), stretch your lips into a wide smile, while touching the lower teeth with your tongue. The distance between the upper and lower teeth should be about 1 cm.

The slide goes in the direction of the [ʌ] sound and is accompanied by a lowering of the voice.

Diphthong

When pronouncing the first element, the nucleus, the tongue is in its usual position, slightly pulled back, the lips are slightly rounded.

The slide is in the direction of the neutral sound [ə].

Whoever does not share what he has found is like a light in the hollow of a sequoia (ancient Native American proverb)
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Monophthongs. Diphthongs.

Monophthongs. Diphthongs.

Monophthong, monophthong, m. (ancient Greek μνος - one and φθγγος - sound) - a vowel sound that does not break up into two elements. Opposites: diphthong, triphthong. During the pronunciation of the sound of a monophthong, the articulation of the speech apparatus is stable and unchanged throughout the entire period of sounding.

In Russian, as a rule, all vowels are monophthongs. However, the homogeneity of mono-phthon-ga is relatively-na, since the artic-la-tor-way structure and formant-temporal structure depend on the surrounding vowel consonants. So, the Russian monophthong [a] becomes diphthongoid (i.e., heterogeneous), receiving an [i]-shaped beginning in the vicinity of soft consonants, cf. "small" - "crumpled".

Diphthong(Greek δφθογγος, (diphthongos), literally “with two sounds” or “with two tones”) - sounds whose articulation implies a transition from one vowel sound type to another. Usually, in diphthongs, one of the components is syllabic, while the others are not. If the first component is syllabic, then such a diphthong is called descending, if the second ascending. The role of non-syllabic components is most often played by non-syllabic correspondences to closed vowels, that is, [w] and [j], for example, in English "kite", lo "low"; however, there are other variants, for example, in Old English there were descending diphthongs [æa] and [æo]. Occasionally, equilibrium diphthongs are found, for example, in Latvian or Nivkh.

A distinction should be made between phonetic and phonological diphthongs. So, phonetically diphthongs are, for example, sound complexes at the end of Russian words strong,big, but phonologically they should be analyzed as combinations of a vowel with a consonant /j/. In each case, the analysis depends on the specific language.

The letter is often indicated by digraphs - stable combinations of two letters, read the same way in almost all cases. At the same time, the pronunciation of letters does not coincide with their reading according to the alphabet.

Examples:

• IN German there is a diphthong -eu-. According to the alphabet, "e" stands for the sound "e", and "u" stands for the sound "y", but the diphthong is pronounced as "oh": Euro (euro) is pronounced as [ʻoyro].

Diphthongs are present in almost all languages. But diphthongs, as a rule, are absent in Japanese, Hungarian and Russian. Therefore, when borrowing into these languages, the diphthong is usually either broken into two monophthongs or a non-syllabic vowel becomes a consonant. For example, German. Faust when borrowed into Russian, it turns into either a disyllabic Faust or a monosyllabic Faust.

Correct pronunciation is the key to literate speech in the target language. Diphthongs and diphthongoids are simple phonetic constructions, but difficult to understand their role in pronunciation. They are not in 2/3 of the world's languages, but English is not among them. What are diphthongs in English and how to use it in speech - we will learn in this publication.

Diphthongs and diphthongoids

A diphthong is a phonetically indivisible vowel, however, having two sounds in the construction. This feature is caused by the conjugation of twenty-two sounds into just 6 vowels in the language.

Total diphthongs in english 8 and all have a particular style of pronunciation and spelling. As a general rule, the sounds in it are consonant or close to each other in articulation.

Note! A diphthong is one syllable and one phoneme. It differs from other vowels in pronunciation, because the response of the second vowel is heard in it, regardless of the word.

Diphthongs in English - what is descending, ascending and equal:

• Descending - is characterized by the predominance of the first sound of a double phoneme in acoustics;
• Ascending - the second sound predominates;
• Equilibrium - there is no predominant sound, and the entire phoneme is acoustically equal and stable.

A diphthongoid is a vowel in a language that is a single phonemic construction, but has overtones of another vowel at the beginning or end. This is one vowel, which, when pronounced, evokes an echo of another vowel (for example, in Russian, the letter o begins with an overtone y in speech).

The differences between diphthong and diphthongoid are in spelling and pronunciation. The first is two connected vowels with two sounds, respectively. The second is one vowel with an echo of another. But both the first and second are one indivisible phonetic part of the word.

Pronunciation, spelling and examples of English diphthongs

The peculiarity of diphthongs in English lies in the ratio of their pronunciation and spelling. Many words may be spelled the same, but their acoustics are different. From one word, up to three or four meanings of other words can be obtained, depending on the sound of vowels.

are written diphthongs in english as two or one vowel in a word. But they are recognized as indivisible and are considered as one full-fledged syllable. But they are also pronounced as two full-fledged sounds that are important for understanding a particular word in speech.

Note! Each diphthong has features in voicing, practiced in practice.

Examples diphthongs in english:

Pronounced as "Hey", where the first letter is identical to the Russian sound "E". The next sound should not be deaf, as in Russian, but drawn out and smooth, reminiscent of “I”, and not “Y”. It can also be distinguished in a combination of other vowels, including one:

• Letters - lear;
• In context - key;
• Letters - day;
• The combination itself is eight;

In speech it sounds like “Ai”, but in details it should resemble transcription, rather than hard Russian. The second letter “I” is short, but clearly audible and softens the whole word. It can appear in speech as:

• [y] - try;
• [i] - fire;
• Letter combination - buy;
• The word eye in the context is eyebrow;
• - lie.

[ɔi]

The diphthong in english pronounced like "Oh". This is an example of an equilibrium construction, because both the first and second parts of the syllable are equal and stable. It occurs in the following form:

• Complex - boy, soy;
• At the beginning of a word or its middle - oil.

The sound of “Ie”, but it is smoother and softer than Russian. This is the simplest diphthong in english, because it does not have a specific dialect and differs from the usual “i” and “e” by the malleability and smoothness of the transition from the first part to the second. Usage variations:

• - beer (the last r is not pronounced, but is taken into account);
• – tears;
• In some cases - severe;
• The combination is furious.

Reminiscent of the harshly heard “E” in Russian, but differs by a brief intonation overtone at the end. The output should be intermediate between "A" and rough "E". Ways to use in speech:

• In context and in the middle or end of a word - prepare;
• In a separate word air, but as part of another word - fair.

In practiced speech, the non-Russian-speaking “Ue” is similar. The first part of the syllable is long and smooth, flowing into an intermediate between “A” and the sound of “E”. Examples:

• The letter combination is fuel;
• In separate words, it is appropriate in the design - endure;
• The combination of letters with the final “r” is in the word poor.

This diphthong in english is pronounced simply and briefly: “Ay”. Correct Application sounds like a quick exclamation on exhalation without complicated manipulations of the lips and tongue. It is used in speech like this:

• Connection - sound (the case when it is pronounced slowly and smoothly);
• - the letter "W" is heard as a short "y" - now.

[əu]

When voicing, something averaged between “ou” and “eu” is heard. Proper pronunciation does without lingering sounds - you need to speak quickly, but accurately. It makes it difficult in practice to move from the first part of the diphthong to the second: from “O” (closer to “Yo”), to “U”. When uttered, it occurs as:

• – soul;
• Vowels in the middle of words - coat;
• The letter [o] is pronounced like “Oh” if it comes before l and if the stress in the word is cold, only.

Mistakes in pronouncing English diphthongs

The main shortcomings and errors in the voicing of “double” syllables are the lack of analogues in the Russian language. People who speak Russian have to learn new combinations of sounds pronounced with an unusual position of the lips and tongue.

Let's look at common mistakes to avoid them:

1. Most double sounds are pronounced like this: the first part is longer, the second is shorter. Even if they are balanced, you need to keep this rule in mind, then the sound will be more accurate;
2. In combination - to say [e] as a full and deep “E” is incorrect. Something intermediate between the soft “E” and “E” should be heard;
3. - the first part is intermediate between the usual [e] and , but it is audible and noticeable, when, like the second, it should be lost against its background;
4. In all sounds with “Y”, a soft vowel “Y” should be heard rather than a Russian chopping.

Outcome

Decided: A diphthong is an indivisible syllable in a word, however, when announced, it combines two sounds. This rule, at first, is easier to remember than to understand and feel. But one or two months of practice and new sounds are easy for every language learner.

Start with double syllables that lend themselves better than others (most often this is and). During practice, consistently try new ones and quickly master them all. Good luck with your study!

Let's see what diphthongs are.

Diphthongs are a combination of vowel sounds.

For example: hire [`haiə]- in this word a diphthong will make a sound ah

mere- this word is a diphthong will make a sound ia

The following diphthongs exist in English: [ͻi] [ʊə] [əʊ]

Let's look at these diphthongs in detail.

Let's start with a diphthong ah.

Now let's try it on our own:

buy buy - buy

guide guide

guy guy

die die - die

Shy [ʃai] shy - modest

sky sky

Dry dry - dry

Final [`fainəl] final - final

Let's move on to the next diphthong. . This diphthong is pronounced like Hey. Now we ourselves are trying to pronounce a diphthong.

make make - do

Fake fake - fake

Break brake - break

Same same - one and the same

game game

Pain pain

brain brain

Next diphthong . It is pronounced like ia.

We try:

beer beer - beer

Dear dear - dear

Senior [`si: niə] senior - senior

Now consider the diphthong . This diphthong is pronounced like ea.

We train:

bear bear

Dare dare - dare

Where where - where

Air air - air

Hair hair - hair

Care care - worry

Diphthong [ͻi]. This diphthong is pronounced like a Russian sound Ouch.

Let's try it ourselves:

toy toy

Void void - emptiness

Let's move on to the diphthong. [ʊə] . The diphthong is pronounced like ya.

And again yourself:

pure pure - pure

Poor poor - poor

Lure lure - seduction

cure cure

Next diphthong [əʊ] . Pronounced like OU.

We train on our own:

glow glow - intense heat

Go go - go

Goal goal

scold scold - grumble

Quote quote - quote

Blow blow - blow

And the last diphthong . This diphthong is pronounced as ay.

Now we try to pronounce the diphthong on our own:

down down - down

brown brown

cloud cloud

town town

So we looked at diphthongs in English. Not a difficult topic at all, but very important. You must pronounce diphthongs correctly, so be sure to watch all the instructional videos on this topic. Do not forget that you must know how to read, not only diphthongs, but also, and. Correct pronunciation words should be given special attention. After all, many English words differ only in the pronunciation of one syllable.

For example: tear if you say this word , then it translates as a tear. And if you pronounce it like , then it translates as a hole, tear, tear. Please note that 2 words are spelled exactly the same, but are pronounced completely differently. So do not forget to learn phonetics.