Editing Diphthong (section)

==Difference from semivowels and vowel sequences==

While there are a number of similarities, diphthongs are not the same phonologically as a combination of a vowel and an approximant or glide. Most importantly, diphthongs are fully contained in the syllable nucleus<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Kaye|Lowenstamm|1984|p=139}}</ref><ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Schane|1995|p=588}}</ref> while a semivowel or glide is restricted to the syllable boundaries (either the onset or the coda). This often manifests itself phonetically by a greater degree of constriction,<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Padgett|2007|p=1938}}</ref> but the phonetic distinction is not always clear.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Schane|1995|p=606}}</ref> The English word ''yes'', for example, consists of a palatal glide followed by a monophthong rather than a rising diphthong. In addition, the segmental elements must be different in diphthongs {{IPA|[ii̯]}} and so when it occurs in a language, it does not contrast with {{IPA|[iː]}}. However, it is possible for languages to contrast {{IPA|[ij]}} and {{IPA|[iː]}}.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Schane|1995|pp=589, 606}}</ref>

Diphthongs are also distinct from sequences of simple vowels. The [[Bunaq language]] of Timor, for example, distinguishes {{IPA|/sa͡i/ [saj]}} 'exit' from {{IPA|/sai/ [saʲi]}} 'be amused', {{IPA|/te͡i/ [tej]}} 'dance' from {{IPA|/tei/ [teʲi]}} 'stare at', and {{IPA|/po͡i/ [poj]}} 'choice' from {{IPA|/loi/ [loʷi]}} 'good'.<ref>{{cite book|first=Antoinette|last=Schapper|year=2017|title=The Papuan Languages of Timor, Alor and Pantar|location=Boston/Berlin|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|volume=2|page=20|isbn=978-1-61451-902-7|url={{GBurl|uWVCDwAAQBAJ|p=20}}|access-date=24 March 2023}}</ref>

Some languages or dialects also articulate the component sounds of a diphthong differently than when those sounds are produced in hiatus. For example, due to [[Canadian raising|English diphthong raising]], many North American English speakers pronounce {{IPA|/aɪ/}} with [[Vowel#Height|closer vowels]] than {{IPA|/a.ɪ/}}, and, among a subset of those, the diphthong {{IPA|/aʊ/}} may be similarly raised as compared to {{IPA|/a.ʊ/}}.