Vowel reader - Chapter 7 Flashcards
What is a thriphthong?
A triphthong is a vowel sounds consisting of three elements
What do all thriphthongs consist of?
3 phonemes, all having a schwa at the end
Why can thriphthongs be tricky for learners of English?
the extent of vowel/tongue
movement is quite small, except in careful pronunciation. Often the middle sound of the triphthongs can hardly be heard which makes the resulting sound difficult to distinguish from some of the diphthongs and long vowel sounds. This could obviously cause communication problems.
Therefore it is essential for these triphthongs to be recognised and used correctly in order for the conversation to be effective.
What do thriphthongs never posses?!
Foreign speakers often hear /w/ or /j/ in English triphthongs, but these are not real sounds — just natural transitions between vowels. They shouldn’t be transcribed, as they aren’t essential like the /w/ in quick or /j/ in cute. Example: higher is /ˈhaɪə/, not /ˈhaɪjə/.
