Pronunciation: diphthongs in English
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2025 4:03 am
To take your English to the next level, good pronunciation is essential. Not only will you sound much better, but other English speakers will find it much easier to understand you and of course, it will earn you points in speaking exams . In this blog we have already reviewed the pronunciation of vowels in English , today we are going to go one step further and deal with diphthongs.
What are diphthongs in English and why is it important to learn them?
In addition to simple vowels, English has several diphthongs. A diphthong is a combination of two vowel sounds: it is as if the second "slides" into the first. Like vowels , diphthongs are voiced, that is, they make the vocal cords italy phone number list when you pronounce them and the air passes through the mouth without interruption. But unlike these, when you pronounce a diphthong, your mouth changes position (watch the videos we recommend at the end of this article to understand it better).
As with the rest of English pronunciation, identifying and articulating diphthongs correctly is essential to better communicate and avoid confusion . In this regard, there is a very curious anecdote: in 1985, a tourist named Mike Lewis arrived at the Los Angeles airport to take a flight to Oakland (just an hour away by plane). But when he asked a flight attendant where he should go, she confused Oakland (əʊklənd) with Auckland (ɔ:klənd), located in Australia. When the pilot of the plane announced that they were flying over Tahiti, Lewis realized his mistake. In the end, his mistake cost him a detour of almost 20,000 kilometers.
What are diphthongs in English and why is it important to learn them?
In addition to simple vowels, English has several diphthongs. A diphthong is a combination of two vowel sounds: it is as if the second "slides" into the first. Like vowels , diphthongs are voiced, that is, they make the vocal cords italy phone number list when you pronounce them and the air passes through the mouth without interruption. But unlike these, when you pronounce a diphthong, your mouth changes position (watch the videos we recommend at the end of this article to understand it better).
As with the rest of English pronunciation, identifying and articulating diphthongs correctly is essential to better communicate and avoid confusion . In this regard, there is a very curious anecdote: in 1985, a tourist named Mike Lewis arrived at the Los Angeles airport to take a flight to Oakland (just an hour away by plane). But when he asked a flight attendant where he should go, she confused Oakland (əʊklənd) with Auckland (ɔ:klənd), located in Australia. When the pilot of the plane announced that they were flying over Tahiti, Lewis realized his mistake. In the end, his mistake cost him a detour of almost 20,000 kilometers.