triphthong

Language

2022

We explain what a tripthong is, how it is accentuated, various examples and its use in sentences. Also, what is a diphthong.

A tripthong is made up of two closed vowels and one open.

What is a tripthong?

In the Spanish language, any group of three vowels operating as one vowel is known as tripthong. syllable, and that for this it must consist of two closed vowels (weak) and one open (strong), organized according to the scheme:

VD-VF-VD

That is to say: closed vowel, open vowel and closed vowel.

The vowels of the triphthongs are pronounced together, as a single syllable or sound unit, and cannot under any circumstances be separated, operating under the same conditions as a normal diphthong (two vowels). This means that, when separating the word into syllables, we will notice that the vowels always remain together in the same syllable.

Furthermore, triphthongs are normally accentuated. But for them to exist, none of the closed vowels must be the stressed syllable of the word; so that, if any of the closed vowels is stressed, the tripthong will be destroyed automatically. In case of accentuation, therefore, the accent will always fall on the strong or open vowel.

Words with tripthong are not the most frequent, although there are notable exceptions. The simplest cases usually come from foreign words incorporated into the language, onomatopoeia or conjugations of verbs in the second person of the informal plural (“tú”), used only in the variant of peninsular Spanish (that is, in Spain).

Triphthong and diphthong

The diphthong can be formed by a closed vowel and an open vowel, or two closed ones.

The tripthong is governed by the same rules of the diphthong, which is its simplest version, composed only of two vowels, operating as a single syllable. In this case, the vowels are one closed and one open, or two closed. As in the case of triphthong, the weak vowel will never be stressed, or the diphthong will be broken, becoming known as a hiatus.

There are three types of diphthongs:

  • Growing. When the weak vowel starts and then the strong vowel goes. As in "well" or "black."
  • Decreasing. When the strong vowel starts and then the weak one goes. As in "landscape" or "Zeus".
  • Homogeneous. When they consist of two weak vowels. As in "caring" or "widow."

Examples of words with tripthong

Words with tripthong usually come from other languages, such as Guaraní.

Here is a list of words endowed with tripthong:

  • Dioecious
  • Ox (in these cases the "y" operates phonetically as an "i").
  • Woof
  • Meow
  • Cuaima
  • Dioecious
  • Evidence
  • Cool
  • Guaire
  • Camaguey
  • Guaiqueríes
  • Cuauhtémoc
  • Guaiqueará
  • You habituate
  • Huaula
  • Hyoid
  • Huayco
  • Crieis
  • You collect
  • Uruguay
  • Scallop
  • You lived
  • Lieis

Sentences with triphthongs

Here are some examples of sentences in which these triphthongs can appear:

  • On vacation I plan to go to Uruguay for a week.
  • I don't understand how you hook up with these people.
  • The indigenous Guaiqueríes offered enormous resistance to the Spanish.
  • In Mexico City I have a friend named Cuauhtémoc.
  • You do collect stories to tell.
  • The cart was drawn by a single ox.
  • The cat goes "meow" and the dog "woof."
  • Dioecious species predominate in this garden.
  • The coast of my town is rich in scallops and mussels.
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