Re: THEORY: NATLANGS: Phonology and Phonetics: Tetraphthongs, Triphthongs, Diphthongs

> On 5/26/06, Eldin Raigmore <eldin_raigmore@...> wrote:
> > What are some examples of diphthongs in which neither vowel is [i] or
> > [u]
> > (or [j] or [u])?
>
IIRC Thai has V+[1] or schwa diphthongs, and perhaps [1]/schwa + vowel.
Again IIRC Vietnamese has [1]+schwa, as in nuoc 'water' written with u-hook
o-hook. Both likely permit triphthongs w/y+V+glide.

Spanish has triphthongs j/w+V+j at least in 2pl. of certain verbs--
cambiar 'change', pres.indic. cambiáis [kam'bjajs], pres.subj. cambiéis;
continuar > continuáis, continuéis.  These j/w are probably full vowels in
the underlying forms, however.

ObConlang: Gwr has V+[1,w,j] (V = i e & 1 a u o O-- historic [11], [a1],
[ij] and [uw] however reduce to long vowels), also j/w+V (the above plus /r/
[3`]; and triphthongs j/w + the V[1jw] set.