What is the difference between monophthongs and diphthongs?

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What is the difference between monophthongs and diphthongs?

Monophthongs and diphthongs are two types of vowel sounds in phonetics and phonology. The main difference between them lies in the number of vowel sounds they consist of.

Monophthongs, also known as pure vowels, are vowel sounds that are produced with a single, unchanging articulatory position of the vocal tract. This means that the tongue, lips, and other articulatory organs remain in a fixed position throughout the production of the sound. Examples of monophthongs include the vowel sounds in words like "cat," "bed," and "goat."

On the other hand, diphthongs are vowel sounds that involve a gradual transition from one vowel to another within a single syllable. They are characterized by a change in the articulatory position during their production. Diphthongs start with one vowel sound and glide into another vowel sound within the same syllable. Examples of diphthongs include the vowel sounds in words like "boy," "coin," and "loud."

In summary, the main difference between monophthongs and diphthongs is that monophthongs consist of a single vowel sound with a fixed articulatory position, while diphthongs involve a gradual transition from one vowel sound to another within a single syllable.