The document discusses vowels and diphthongs in phonetics using IPA symbols. It notes that English uses fewer letters than actual vowel sounds. It provides examples of vowels with different IPA symbols but the same letter, like 'i' in 'bit' and 'I' in 'bIt'. It then introduces additional vowel symbols and the schwa vowel. It defines diphthongs as sounds made with two vowels in transition. Examples of common English diphthongs are provided like 'ai' in 'my'. Finally, it mentions some diphthongs specific to New Zealand English.

1. Phonetics Vowels and diphthongs

2. IPA vowel symbols ≠ English vowel letters English uses <a,i,e,o,u> to represent vowels in writing even though English has more than 5 vowels. i in [bit] ‘beat’ is different from I in [b I t ] ‘bit’ ɑ or a in [pat] ‘part’ is different from æ in [pæt] ‘cat’ u in [but] ‘boot’ is different from  in [p  t] ‘put’

3. more vowels  in [b  t] ‘but’  in [b  d] ‘bed’  in [b  d] ‘bird’  in [p  t] ‘port’  in [h  t] ‘hot’ ə in [b  t ə ] ‘ bett e r’ ‘schwa’ elegant sofa economic economy the last symbol has the name ‘schwa’ and only appears in unstressed syllables in English.

4. the diphthongs Diphthongs are sounds which are made with two vowels. We start at one vowel position and move towards another.  in [  ] ‘my’  in [  ] ‘boy’  in [d  ] ‘day’  in [h  ] ‘how’ ə  or  in [hə  p] or [h  p]

5. NZ diphthongs? These are dipththongs in NZE but not all varieties of English  or ɪə in  ‘pier’  in  ‘lair’  in  ‘pure’