TRIPHTHONGS: A CROSS-LINGUISTIC STUDY OF GERMAN-ENGLISH TRIPHTHONGIAL COMPARISON

Abstract

This study examines the phonological characteristics and historical development of triphthongs in English and German, emphasizing their differences and similarities within a cross-linguistic framework. Triphthongs, defined as phonemes comprising three vowel sounds within a single syllable, are an integral part of English phonology but are relatively rare in German. The research explores synchronic features, such as the prevalence and phonotactic rules governing triphthongs in both languages, and diachronic aspects, including historical shifts like the Great Vowel Shift in English. German's conservative phonological evolution is contrasted with English's dynamic vowel transitions, highlighting the role of schwa and gliding transitions in triphthong formation. Through a qualitative comparative methodology, the study identifies English triphthongs' critical role in minimal pairs and lexical differentiation, while German relies on simpler vowel combinations and consonantal distinctions. The analysis integrates theoretical frameworks like Generative Phonology and Optimality Theory to explain underlying processes and constraints. Key findings include English's permissive phonotactic rules enabling triphthong complexity and German's preference for distinct vowel articulations. The study underscores the implications of these differences for phonological theory, language acquisition, and applied linguistics, particularly in pronunciation teaching and speech technology. Limitations such as the absence of primary data and the exclusion of dialectal variations are noted, alongside recommendations for future research on regional variations, acoustic analysis, and language contact effects. This research contributes to the understanding of complex vowel phenomena and the evolution of phonological systems.