Why Diphthongs and Other Words Pronounce 'Ph' as [p] rather than [f]
Have you ever wondered why the word diphthong is pronounced as [dp.θɑ] "DIP-thong" instead of as [df.θɑ] "DIFF-thong"? The answer lies in a linguistic phenomenon known as phonetic dissimilation, a process that can change the sounds in a word to avoid certain difficult or awkward pronunciations.
Introduction to Phonetic Dissimilation
Phonetic dissimilation is a linguistic process where two consecutive sounds in a word that are similar in some way become altered so that they are not the same. In the case of the word diphthong, the cluster 'ph' presents a particularly interesting challenge due to the similarity of the sounds [p] and [f].
The Common Pronunciation of 'Diphthong'
The common pronunciation of diphthong as [dp.θɑ] "DIP-thong" is an example of phonetic dissimilation. Normally, the 'ph' digraph is pronounced as [f], leading to a pronunciation like [df.θɑ] "DIFF-thong". However, this would create a sequence of sounds that are difficult to articulate smoothly. For instance, pronouncing both [p] and [f] in quick succession would be challenging because the phonemes [p] and [f] are both bilabial, meaning they are produced with the lips. This overlap makes it difficult to articulate them together without causing awkward tongue movements and potential mispronunciation.
Phonetic Dissimilation in Other Words
It's not just diphthong that exhibits this pattern; other words with the 'ph' cluster also show evidence of dissimilation. Words like ophthalmologist, diphtheria, and naphtha are commonly pronounced with the 'ph' as [p] rather than [f]. This explains why 'ophthalmologist' is often pronounced as [ɑp.θ?.l??d??st] "OP-thuh-LOM-uh-jist" rather than as [?f.θ?.l??d??st] "OFF-thuh-LOM-uh-jist".
Deletions and Influences
Interestingly, some related words handle the challenge of the 'ph' cluster differently. Words like fifths and twelfth sometimes delete the [f] rather than pronouncing it as a [p]. This suggests that the spelling of these words may have some influence on the pronunciation. For example, ophthalmologist may also be influenced by its semantically related words like optometrist, and there are instances where it can be pronounced with both a hard [p] and a hard [t], as in [ɑptmɑldst] "op-tuh-MALL-uh-jist". It's also worth noting that in this case, like in others, the [l] is often deleted, a process known as an elision.
Conclusion
The phenomenon of phonetic dissimilation in words like diphthong, ophthalmologist, and others highlights the dynamic nature of language and how it adapts to make pronunciations more natural and easier to articulate. These changes reflect a complex interplay of phonetics, phonology, and even the influence of related words and semantic contexts.