Diphthongs

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The main variant of this vowel, [aɪ/ai], can be heard almost everywhere in the English-speaking world, though in addition to it there is a very large number of regional and social variants. The onset may be backed and either round or unrounded, yielding [ɔ], [ɒ], [ɑ] or [Λ]; it may be central and raised, to [Λ], [з] or [ə], or also fronted and raised, i.e. [æ] or even [ε]. The offglide may move to [ɪ] , [i] or [e]. Conspicuous and widely known forms include pronunciations with fronted and raised onsets in Ireland or the “Broad” accent of AusE, those with backed onsets in London (Cockney), south-western England, and the south-eastern United States, and a central schwa onset in some dialects of BrE and, in prevoiceless contexts, in Canada. Monophthongization is also possible, e.g. to [a:] as a stereotypical feature of SAmE (general in pre-voiced environments), in some English dialects, and, interestingly enough, given the potential American connection, also in LibSE.