Not YAEPT: English diphthongs

In English, three of the so-called "long vowels" (FACE, PRICE, and
GOAT) are usually realized as diphthongs, but most speakers are
unaware of the fact.  Meanwhile, there are at least two diphthongs
(CHOICE, MOUTH) that seem to be generally perceived as such.
  What do we know about this perceptual distinction? Is it purely a
learned thing, or do even uneducated speakers think that there's a
qualitative difference between those sets of sounds?

I've always heard CHOICE, in particular, as almost bisyllabic.

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Mark J. Reed <markjreed@...>

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