Middle English phonology
Diphthongs
Columns: Late Old English (Anglian) | Early Middle English | Late Middle English | Early Modern English | Modern English | Example
æg, ǣg | /ai/ | /ai/ | /eː/ | /ei/ | dæg > "day"; grǣg > "gray" | eg | /ɛi/ | /ai/ | /eː/ | /ei/ | weg > "way"; regn > "rain" | ēg | /ei/ > /iː/ | /iː/ | /əi/ | /ai/ | ēage > ēge > "eye"; lēogan > lēgan > "lie" | æw, aw, agV | /au/ | /au/ | /ɔː/ | /ɔː/ | clawu > "claw"; lagu > "law" | ēw, ēow | /eu/ | /iu/ | /juː/ | /juː/ | hrēowan > "rue" | iw, īw, yw, ȳw | /iu/ | /iu/ | /juː/ | /juː/ | hīw > "hue"; nīwe > "new" | ugV, ūgV | /uː/ | /uː/ | /əu/ | /au/ | drugaþ > drouth > "drought"; būgan > "bow" /bau/ | æh, ah, ag# | /auh/ | /auh/ | ( [x] → nil) /ɔː/ | /ɔː/ | slæht (WS sleaht) + -or > "slaughter" | æh, ah, ag# | /auh/ | /auh/ | ( [x] → /f/) /af/ | /æf/ | hlæhtor > "laughter" | eh | /ɛih/ | /ɛih/ | /ei/ > /eː/ | /ei/ | streht > "straight" | āh, āg#, oh, og# | /ɔuh/ | /ɔuh/ | ( [x] → nil) /ou/ > /oː/ | /ɒf/ (British), /ɔːf/ (American) | dāg > dāh > "dough" | āh, āg#, oh, og# | /ɔuh/ | /ɔuh/ | ( [x] → /f/) /ɔf/ | /ɒf/ (British), /ɔːf/ (American) | trog > "trough" | āhC, ohC, ōhC | /ɔuh/ | /ɔuh/ | /ɔː/ | /ɔː/ | dohtor > "daughter"; sōhte > "sought" | ōh#, ōg# | /ouh/ > /uːh/ | /uːh/ | ( [x] → nil) /əu/ | /au/ | bōg > "bough"; plōg > plōh > "plough" | ōh#, ōg# | /ouh/ > /uːh/ | /uːh/ | ( [x] → /f/) /ʊf/ | (centralized) /ʌf/ | tōh > "tough"; ruh > "rough"