Diphthongs

[Anne59]

Hi experts,

How do you know when to use which pronunciation for ei?

heir & receipt

Also for ea (3 different sounds)

great & meat & dead

For ai

rain & said

For oo

boot & flood

I’m sure there are probably more but I just haven’t noticed them yet.

Is there a rule for these?

[Raymott]

Hi,
Sorry I don't have any easy rules. I just thought I'd point out that the term 'diphthong' is used for the sounds, not the spelling. So there is no diphthong in receipt but there is in heir* /ɛə/; none in meat & dead but /eɪ/ in great*, etc.

* AusE, illustrative only.

[stuartnz]

Originally Posted by Raymott

Hi,
Sorry I don't have any easy rules. I just thought I'd point out that the term 'diphthong' is used for the sounds, not the spelling. So there is no diphthong in receipt but there is in heir* /ɛə/; none in meat & dead but /eɪ/ in great*, etc.

* AusE, illustrative only.

Raymott's comment is worth repeating because the vowel sounds often vary considerably between different variants of English. Speakers of some variants hear diphthongs in the vowels said by speakers of other variants who think that they are not using diphthongs at all. Australians and NZers get this sort of comment often, and say this sort of thing often about each other's English, as well.

[doogleface]

Unfortunately many words look like they would have the same pronunciations but do not.

My favorite example is:
through (throo)
trough (troff)
tough (tuff)

[Raymott]

Originally Posted by doogleface

Unfortunately many words look like they would have the same pronunciations but do not.

My favorite example is:
through (throo)
trough (troff)
tough (tuff)

add:
though (tho)
bough (bow)
thought (thort)
Scarborough ('scarbrə)