The organs of speech

centring diphthongs end with a glide towards [ə]; they are called centering because [ə] is a central vowel.

[ıə] as in idea [aıdıə], real [ rıəl], deer [dıə], career [kərıə], clear [ klıə],

hear [ hıə], experience [ikspıərıəns], period [pıərıəd], here [hıə];

[uə] as in sure [ uə ], poor [ puə ], tour [ tuə ], Europe [juərəp],

cruel [kruəl], sanctuary [sæŋktuərı];

[εə] as in air [εə], pair [pεə], chair [ tεə ], care [kεə], various [vεərıəs], bear [bεə], wear [wεə], swear [swεə], their [ðεə], heir [εə].

2. 
   closing diphthongs end with a glide towards [ı] or towards [u].
   

[eı] as in place [pleıs], later [leıtə], taste [teıst], change [ teınd ], aim [eım], aid [eıd], day [deı], straight [streıt], gauge [ geıd ], break [breık], great [ greıt], café [kæfeı], matinee [mætineı], fiancee [ fia:nseı], neighbour [neıbə], weight [weıt], ballet [bæleı], convey [ kənveı].

[oı] as in boil [boıl], coin [koın], boy [ boı], enjoy [ind oı].

[aı] as in fine [faın], life [laıf], child [ taıld], lie [laı], pie [paı], sign [saın], high [haı], type [ taıp], good-bye [ֽgudbaı], aisle [aıl], either [aıðə], neither [naıðə], eye [aı], guide [gaıd].

[əu] as in home [həum], open [əupən], old [əuld], folk [ fəuk], most

[ məust], both [ bəuθ], boat [ bəut], know [ nəu], soul [səul].

[au] as in loud [laud], proud [praud], town [taun], crown [kraun].

PROVERBS WITH DIPHTHONGS

[ıə] Appearances are deceitful. Fear has a quick ear. Experience is the mother of wisdom.

[uə] What cannot be cured, must be endured.

[εə] Where there is a will, there is a way. It’s late to tear your hear. Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves.

[eı] Haste makes waste. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. No pains no gains. Money often unmakes the men who make it. Money spent on the brain is never spent in vain.

[oı] There is no joy without alloy. Choice of the end covers choice of the means.

[aı] Out of sight, out of mind. A sound mind in a sound body.

[əu] As you sow you shall mow. Man proposes, God disposes. All roads lead to Rome. There is no place like home. Great boast, small roast.

[au] Out of sight, out of mind. A sound mind in a sound body.

TRIPHTHONGS

Is a monosyllabic speech-sound sequence perceived as being made up of three differing vowel qualities, involving a quick but smooth movement of the articulator from one vowel quality to another that passes over a third.

[eıə] layer, player

[aıə] tyre, fire

[oıə] employer, soya

[auə] power, shower, tower

[əuə] slower, lower





“MUTE” LETTERS

These are letters that are not pronounced, read, but are written according to the traditional spelling.

b in combination bt debt [det], doubt [daut]

b mb comb[kəum], climb [klaım]

g gn foreign [forın], sign [saın]

gh ight, tigh, ough, augh sigh [saı], eight [eıt]

h wh when [ wen], where [wεə]

(if the next letter is not o)

k kn know [nəu], knife [naıf]

( at the beginning of the word)

l alf, alk, alm, olk half [ha:f], talk [ to:k], calm [ka:m],

folk [ fəuk]

n mn autumn [o:tm]

p ps psychology [saıkoləd ı]

t stle whistle [wısl]

w wr write [ rait], wrong [ roη], answer [a:nsə]

u gu+ vowel guess [ges]

Stress

Word stress is a greater prominence given to a syllable or syllables of a word in speech by phonetic means. In English stress is dynamic, qualitative, quantitative and musical (English stressed and unstressed syllables differ in intensity, quantity, quality and pitch). Word stress in English may fall on any syllable, e.g. “ language”, “ dictation”, “demonstration”, “ pronunciation”. This type of stress is called free stress.

In word of two or more syllables one syllable is pronounced more distinctly and is said to be stressed. The other syllables in the word are pronounced less distinctly, they are unstressed. As a rule, in such syllables vowels change their quality, they become reduced. Stressed syllable is marked by means of the sign, which is placed before and above the stressed syllable

busy [bizi] again [əgeın]

In word of two or more syllables there are two degrees of stress. The stronger is called the primary (main) stress. The weaker is called the secondary stress.

e.g. “examination” “conversation”

[ıgֽzæmıneın] [ֽkonvəseın]

Some words have the equally strong stresses. They are: