Diphthongs

The diphthongs /au/ in MOUTH and /aɪ/ in PRICE are present in all three varieties of PhlE. On the other hand, whereas the diphthongs /oɪ/ in CHOICE and /eɪ/ in FACE are present in the phonetic inventory of the acrolect and mesolect groups, the former is rendered /uj/ and /ij/ by the basilect group. Likewise the GOAT vowel occurs as [oʊ] in the acrolect; in free variation with [o] in the mesolect; and as [u] in the basilect.

PhlE is rhotic, that is /r/ is preserved after the vowels. Hence, the vowel in NEAR is pronounced [ir]; in SQUARE [er]; in START [ɑr]; in NORTH and FORCE [or]; in LETTER and NURSE [εr] and in CURE and POOR [ur].