Triphthong

In phonetics, a triphthong is a monosyllabic vowel combination usually involving a quick but smooth movement from one vowel to another that passes over a third one. While "pure" vowels, or monophthongs, are said to have one target tongue position, triphthongs have a moving tongue.

Triphthongs stressed on the second element in Spanish:

• [wej] as in buey
• [waj] as in Uruguay

Triphthongs stressed on the first element in Bernese German (a Swiss German dialect:

• [i@w] as in Gieu 'boy'
• [y@w] as in Gfüeu 'feeling'
• [u@w] as in Schueu 'school'
• [y@j] as in Müej 'trouble'

See also

• List of phonetics topics
• diphthongs