Diphthongs

NEAR

In North American dialects of English, the NEAR vowel typically starts at the high front but non-peripheral position of KIT. In some rhotic dialects this [ɪr] type may be the only realization before /r/ (predominantly in WMwE and InlNE, also JamE); in others a diphthongal realization gliding to schwa, [ɪə(r)], is common (PhilE, NYCE, Nfl dE, Gullah, ChcE), or the onset of the diphthong may be tensed to [i] (NEngE, CajE). Some varieties, like SAmE, AAVE, and CanE, have all of these realizations, with internally differentiating factors, and in most of the others the alternative pronunciations are also possible in addition to the main variant. Conservative American dialects, notably SAmE and Nfl dE, as well as Caribbean creoles, have lowered onsets, i.e. realizations with [e] or even [ε] (before schwa or /r/ or even as monophthongs), and in “deep” basilects like JamC and the SurCs a long gliding movement from a high front to a low position, [ia], is found.