Eɪ - LOWER CASE E + SMALL UPPER CASE I

Front, closing and narrow

For the articulation of RP /eɪ/, the glide begins from slightly below the half-close front position [e˕] and moves in the direction of RP /ɪ/, there being a slight closing movement of the lower jaw. The lips are spread.

Before [ɫ], the [ɪ] element tends to be absorbed into [ə] or [ʊ] (e.g. sail [seəɫ]).

English and Spanish /eɪ/ as in reina ('queen') are similar in quality, although the starting point of the former is a more open type of [e] while the end-point is more relaxed in English than in Spanish. English /eɪ/ is longer in quantity.

Spelling

<a> April /ˈeɪprəl/ , Cambridge /ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ/ , chaos /keɪɒs/
<ai,ay> jail /dʒeɪl/ , rain /reɪn/ , crayon /kreɪən/
<ei, ey> grey /ɡreɪ/ , obey /əˈbeɪ/
<ea> great /ˈɡreɪt/ , steak /steɪk/
<eigh> sleigh /sleɪ/ , eight /eɪt/
Verbs ending in <-ate> (/eɪ/ vs. /ə/ in n. and adj.) graduate /ˈɡrædʒʊeɪt/ , approximate/əˈprɒksɪmət/ , estimate /ˈestɪmeɪt/
French loanwords with the following spellings:
<e, é, ê> debut /ˈdeɪbju:/ , café /ˈkæfeɪ/ , crépe /kreɪp/
<ee, ée> matinee /ˈmætɪneɪ/ , toupee /ˈtu:peɪ/
<et> ballet /ˈbæleɪ/ ,challet /ˈʃæleɪ/
<-er> dossier /ˈdɒsɪeɪ / , foyer /ˈfɔɪeɪ/
Rare cases:
<ao> gaol /dʒeɪl /
<au> gauge /ɡeɪdʒ/
<ae> Gaelic /ˈɡeɪlɪk/

Examples

they /ðeɪ/


played /pleɪd/


plate /pleɪt/


chaos /keɪɒs/


railway /ˈreɪlweɪ/


explain /ɪkˈspleɪn/


convey /kənˈveɪ/


sleighing /ˈsleɪɪŋ/


The mayor says he's afraid they elaborate a deliberate plan to raise riot in Baker street.
/ðə ˈmeə ˈsez hiz əˈfreɪd ðeɪ ɪˈlæbəreɪt ə dɪˈlɪbərət ˈplæn tə ˈreɪz ˈraɪət ɪn ˈbeɪkə ˈstri:t/



I don't like this mayonnaise. May I change it?
/ˈaɪ dəʊnt ˈlaɪk ðɪs ˌmeɪəˈneɪz || ˈmeɪ aɪ ˈtʃeɪndʒ ɪt/



Today, at a quarter to eight, I'm going away to Spain by plane.
/təˈdeɪ | ət ə ˈkwɔ:tə tu ˈeɪt | aɪm ˌɡəʊɪŋ əˈweɪ tə ˈspeɪn baɪ ˈpleɪn/



That's a bit dangerous at your age.
/ˈðæts ə bɪt ˈdeɪndʒərəs ət jər ˈeɪdʒ/



Six slimy snails sailed silently
/ ˈsɪks ˈslaɪmi ˈsneɪlz ˈseɪld ˈsaɪləntli/



On a lazy laser raiser lies a laser ray eraser.
/ɒn ə ˈleɪzi leɪzə ˈreɪzə ˈlaɪz ə ˈleɪzə reɪ ɪˈreɪzə/

Pronunciation




The tongue begins below close front position in the oral chamber and moves upwards towards a centralised close front position. The lips are loosely spread. The soft palate is raised (unless followed by a nasal).




Falling diphthong

The first sound in this diphthong is a vowel and the second element is a semivowel. The articulators move from an half open position to a close position. The vocal folds vibrate during the production of this sound.

Spelling

<ei, ey>

Examples

treinta


rey


Había veinte peines para la reina.

Pronunciation




The first sound is a vowel and the second element is a semivowel. The articulators move from an half open position to a close position. The vocal folds vibrate.