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Difficulty: MediumDiphthongs

In English phonetics, a diphthong represents a smooth vocalic glide from one vowel quality to another within the same syllable. Which of the words listed below contains the diphthong sound /eə/?

  1. A
    hearth
  2. scarceAnswer
  3. C
    pierce
  4. D
    beard

Answer

The word 'scarce' is the correct choice because its vowel nucleus is pronounced with the centering diphthong /eə/.
The word 'scarce' (/skeəs/) contains the centering diphthong sound /eə/, where the tongue glides smoothly from the front vowel quality /e/ to the central vowel quality /ə/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target diphthong sound specified in the stem
The target phonetic sound is the centering diphthong /eə/.
The question specifically asks for a word containing the /eə/ sound.
2
Transcribe the phonetic vowel sounds of each given option
'hearth' is pronounced /hɑːθ/, 'scarce' is pronounced /skeəs/, 'pierce' is pronounced /pɪəs/, and 'beard' is pronounced /bɪəd/.
Phonetic analysis reveals the specific vowel quality present in each candidate word.
3
Match the target diphthong /eə/ to the correct phonetic transcription
Only 'scarce' contains the exact diphthong glide /eə/.
The vowel sound in 'scarce' glides from an open-mid front position toward a central schwa.

Key Concept

Diphthong Identification (/eə/ sound)
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Topics

Diphthongs

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