If you want more information on the photos in this video, which have parts of the mouth drawn in, see this video on the parts of the mouth.

How to make this sound:

Video Text:

The 'ai' as in 'buy' diphthong. The first sound of this diphthong, aa, does not exist on it's own as a vowel in American English. It's sort of a mix between the 'aa' as in 'bat' [] and the 'ah' as in 'father' []. The tongue is raised somewhat in the back, stretching this way, and the tongue is raised higher in general than in the 'ah' as in 'father' sound. Aa. In the second part of this diphthong, the 'ih' as in 'sit' vowel [], it is the front part of the tongue that is raised somewhat. Ih, ai. So the tongue goes from being raised towards the back to being raised towards the front. In both of these sounds, the tip of the tongue is resting against the bottom of the front teeth, ai, ai. And you will see this switch in the position of the tongue especially in the close up slow motion from an angle, we will really see that happen. Note that the lips are relaxed in both sounds, and also that the jaw is dropped more on the first sound. Ai, buy.

Here we see the two sounds of this diphthong. You can see in the first sound, aa, that the jaw is more dropped. On the second sound, 'ih', the tongue is more forward. Here are the two sounds in profile. Again, note that in the first sound, the jaw is dropped more. Here, parts of the mouth are drawn in. you can see that the tongue position in the first sound is drawn slightly back, which makes it flatter. In the second sound, the tongue is much more raised in the front. In both sounds, the tip of the tongue does lightly touch behind the bottom front teeth. The 'ai' as in 'buy' diphthong.

Sample words: shy, write, good-bye. Sample sentence: My sister is bright with a nice sense of style. Now you will see this sound up close and in slow motion, both straight forward and from an angle, so you can really study how the tongue moves in this diphthong.

My, lips press together for the M, jaw drops, here's the 'ai' as in 'buy' diphthong, you could see the tongue come up towards the end. Sister is bright, lips come together for the B. And here it is again, the 'ai' as in 'buy' diphthong. Tongue down and then pushes up towards the front. The tip goes up to make the T. Lips come together for the W. With a nice - tongue up for the N and drops for the 'ai' as in 'buy' diphthong. Sense of, lip comes up to make the V sound, style. Another 'ai' as in 'buy' diphthong. Jaw drops for the first part, tongue moves up for the second part, and the dark L.

Now from the angle. My, 'ai' as in 'buy' diphthong. Jaw drops for the first part and then the middle-front part of the tongue moves up for the second part. Sister is bright, another 'ai' as in 'buy'. Jaw drops, forward part of the tongue moves up, and now here the tip goes up to make the T. With a, tongue tip up to make N and drops, ai, nice, sense of, lip up to make the V sound. Style, another 'ai' as in 'buy' diphthong. Jaw drops, tongue is down, and then the mid-front part of the tongue raises to make the second part of the diphthong.

International Phonetic Alphabet symbol: []

Miss the old sound video? See it here.