The diphthong, also twig and bifurcation, is a double of two consecutive vowels, which are different. This means that the two vowels (a, e, i, o, u) are connected during speech and are not spoken separately. In German these combinations are common: au, ei, ai, eu, äu and ui. The dipthongues ei / ai and eu / äu are alike
term
The terminology can be derived from the Greek (δίφθογγος) and is composed of the words dis and phthóngos. These can be translated with two and Laut. Thus the diphthong is a two-pair. The translation illustrates what is at stake: namely, a sound composed of two vowels [and within a syllable, which is inseparable]. Let’s look at an example.
Pooh! The fire burned my corncob.
In the above example, the individual diphtons were highlighted in color. The compounds ui, eu and ai are used. Decisive is that the connection of the vowel in speech are linked, since they are not separated by the syllables of the words. The syllable separation is as follows.
Pfui | Fire | corncob
Here it is evident that Pui consists of a syllable and bears the diphthong in the middle, where two syllables form fire, the diphtong being in the first syllable, the maccolben having three syllables. In this case too, the double-watt is in the first syllable.
This observation is crucial. If two vowels, which are not connected to one another in a phonetic sense and thus separated by the syllables of a word, would be called a Hiatus. Hiatus is the clash of the final vowel of a word with the initial vowel of the following, as well as the succession of two vowels or diphthongs in the word mind.
Note: A diphthong is always a combination of two vowels, which are spoken in common. If two vowels belong to different syllables, one speaks of a hiatus. The German knows four dongestones in different spellings: / ʊɪ̯ / (ui), / ɔʏ̯ / (eu, äu), / aɪ̯ / (ai, ei) / aʊ̯ / (au). In dialects, however, further connections are conceivable (eg: oi, oa, etc.).
Diphthong, hiatus, and the like
It was described what the twilight was about, as well as how this can be distinguished from the hiatus. This is to be explained in more detail below. Furthermore, we will discuss the special position of the digraph i, which is not a diphthong on closer inspection.
Hiatus refers to the succession of two vowels, which do not belong to the same syllable of a word. These may either be at the end of the one word, and the first letter may be the next, or may follow one another in the word. Let us look at an example.
Our filling only contains fresh milk.
The above example illustrates the possible positions of a hiatus. The words our and filling are juxtaposed. The first word ends with the vowel e, and the next begins with an a. Thus, the letters do not merge into a sound, which is why we are dealing with a hiatus. The same applies to the sequence of e and i in FIG. These are also spoken separately.
You’re a lousy vawn driver!
The example theorem contains the sequence of e and i (ei) as well as of i and e (ie). As a diphthong, a new sound is created by combining the two vowels, which can not be separated. However, the situation is different. In the words of miseries and cattle, no double-wording is created from two vowels, but only the i is stretched (longer-spoken). This can be considered a monophthong.
But it becomes tricky when a word is broken up by syllable separation. Then, the combination does not serve as an extension of the letter i, but is also to be regarded as a hiatus. One example is career. In this case the following is separated: Kar | ri | e | re.
Overview: The most important thing about diphthong in the overview
Diphthong is called a so-called double-watt. This means that two vowels, which do not appear separated by syllables, are spoken together and thus form a new sound. In German we know / ʊɪ̯ / (ui), / ɔʏ̯ / (eu, äu), / aɪ̯ / (ai, ei), / aʊ̯ / (au).
In dialects and other languages, of course, almost all combinations are conceivable. Basically, therefore, if two vowels together produce a new sound, that is called diphthong. It does not matter which vowels are combined.
Nevertheless, we must distinguish the whole from Hiatus and Monophthong. In the former concept vowels also follow one another, but do not form a new sound together. The monophthong describes a simple sound, that is, all the vowels and connections which serve only the stretching (ie). The quality of the vowel does not change here.