Definition.The nucleus of the diphthong is the front-retract­ed, close (broad variant), unrounded vowel [i] (not [i:]).

Articulation. The nucleus is the vowel [i]. For the glide the tongue moves in the direction of the neutral vowel [ə ].

The lips are slightly spread for the nucleus and are neutral for the glide.

The diphthong [iə ] occurs in all positions of the word, e.g. ear — ears — pierce.

Possible Mistakes.

1. [uə ] — the nucleus should be less close and less front.

2. [ia] — the glide is too strong. It should be noticeably weak­er.

3. [i: ]— a monophthongal variant. It is often heard in polysyl­labic words where the diphthongs meet twice, e.g. serious, period, materialism.

[iә ]

We are near the end of the year. (51)

Near an ear, a nearer ear, a nearly eerie ear. (52)

Oh, dear! I hear the sky will be sunny and clear. (53)

The museum is near the theatre. (54)

[ε ə ]

Definition. The nucleus of the diphthong is front, open (narrow variant), unrounded.

Articulation. The nucleus of this diphthong is a vowel between [e] and [æ ]. The tongue is in the half-open front position. For the glide the tongue moves in the direction of the neutral sound [ə ]. The lips are neutral.

The diphthong [ε ə ] occurs in all positions of the word, eg: airy – various – hair.

Allophones. The nucleus of the diphthong is much longer in final position. In closed syllables ending in a weak consonant it is shorter. It is the shortest before a strong consonant, cf care – cared – scarce.

Recommendations. Take a mirror and practise the sound. The mouth must be open. It is very helpful to begin the neucleus from the quality of [æ ]. Make the glide very weak except the cases when it is final, cf bad – bared – bare.

Possible Mistakes. 1. [ea] – the starting point is too close. In this case the tongue should be kept much lower in the mouth.

2. [ε a] – the second element is too strong, it should be weaker.

[έ ә ]

Sarah has fair hair. (55)

The boy went up one pair of stairs and there he found a teddy-bear. (56)

The bear could not bear the bore.

The boar thought the bear a bore.

At last the bear could bear no more

That boar that bored him on the moor.

And so once more he bored the boar –

That boar will bore the bear no more. (57)

[uə ]

Definition. The nucleus of the diphthong is back-advanced, close (broad variant), slightly rounded.

Articulation. The nucleus of the diphthong is the vowel [u] (not [u: ]). For the glide the tongue moves towards the neutral sound [ə ], the mouth gets more open. The lips are slightly rounded and get neutral as the mouth opens for [ə ].

The sound [uə ] occurs in the middle and at the end of words, eg during – tour.

Possible mistakes. 1. [yə ]. Care should be taken not to round the lips very strongly. There is no protrusion whatsoever. The nucleus is less close and less back.

2. [ua] or [uə ]. The glide should be made much weaker.

[uә ]

Curios tourists. (58)

Pure food for poor mules. (59)

The jury were sure the poor man was innocent. (60)

[aiә ]

The tiresome wireless man’s fireless,

whilst the fireless wireless man’s tireless. (61)

Poems

No enemies (62)

C. Mackay

Red, red rose (63)

Let me not to the marriage of true minds (64)

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
Oh, no! it is an ever-fixé d mark,
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come'
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

W. Shakespeare

Somebody’s Darling (65)

Into the ward of the clean white-washed halls,
Where the dead slept and the dying lay;
Wounded by bayonets, sabres and balls,
Somebody's darling was borne one day.
Somebody's darling, so young and so brave,
Wearing still on his sweet yet pale face,
Soon to be hid in the dust of the grave,
The lingering light of his boyhood's grace.

Somebody's darling, somebody's pride,
Who'll tell his mother where her boy died?

Matted and damp are his tresses of gold,
Kissing the snow of that fair young brow;
Pale are the lips of most delicate mould,
Somebody's darling is dying now.
Back from his beautiful purple-veined brow,
Brush off the wandering waves of gold;
Cross his white hands on his broad bosom now,
Somebody's darling is still and cold.

Give him a kiss, but for somebody's sake,
Murmur a prayer for him, soft and low,
One little curl from his golden mates take,
Somebody's they were once, you know;
Somebody's warm hand has oft rested there,
Was it a Mother's so soft and white?
Or have the lips of a sister, so fair,
Ever been bathed in their waves of light?

Somebody's watching and waiting for him,
Yearning to hold him again to her breast;
Yet there he lies with his blue eyes so dim,
And purple, child-like lips half apart.
Tenderly bury the fair, unknown dead,
Pausing to drop on his grave a tear;
Carve on the wooden slab over his head,
" Somebody's darling is slumbering here."

Marie Ravenal de la Coste

Six honest serving – man (66)

I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.
I send them over land and sea,
I send them east and west;
But after they have worked for me,
I give them all a rest.

I let them rest from nine till five,
For I am busy then,
As well as breakfast, lunch, and tea,
For they are hungry men.
But different folk have different views;
I know a person small--
She keeps ten million serving-men,
Who get no rest at all!
She sends 'em abroad on her own affairs,
From the second she opens her eyes--
One million Hows, two million Wheres,
And seven million Whys!

R. Kipling

Warm – up exercises