VOWEL DIGRAMMES

Binary vowel letterings started their life representing apparently a sequence of two sounds. Gradully their fast utterance was heard as a diphthong. After classical times, in different centuries and different places they were simplified in monophthongs (today's pronunciation). Although modern Greeks pronounce them as one sound, you will often find them listed under 'diphthong' chapters in contemporary grammars. Their historical orthography remains intact.

In Modern Greek the digramme AI
1) is pronounced [e]
a)when without stress at all: αι = [e] - αισθητικό (esthitiko)
b)or when a stress on its second component: αί = [e] - αίνιγμα (enigma)

2) is pronounced with its components split completely /ai/ or uttered in a fast diphthong /ai/
a) when the stress lies on the first vowel, as in άι = [`ai] [`ai] - Mάιoς (Maios)
b) when there are dialytics (umlaut) on the second vowel as in αï = [ai] [ai] - αρχαïκό (arhaiko)
(also with dialytics+stress at second component αΐ = [a`i]

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In Modern Greek the digramme EI
1) is pronounced [i]
a)when without stress at all: ει = [i] - εικόνα (ikona)
b)or when a stress on its second component: εί = [i] - είρων (iron)

2) is pronounced with its components split completely /ei/ or uttered in a fast diphthong /ei/
a) when the stress lies on the first vowel, as in έι = [`ei] [`ei]
b) when there are dialytics (umlaut) on the second vowel as in εï = [ei] [ei] - γoνεïκό (goneiko)
(also with dialytics+stress at second component εΐ = [e`i]

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In Modern Greek, the digramme OI
1) is pronounced [i]
a)when without stress at all: oι = [i] - oικoλoγία (ikologia)
b)or when a stress on its second component: oί = [i]

2) is pronounced with its components split completely /oi/ or uttered in a fast diphthong /oi/
a) when the stress lies on the first vowel, as in όι = [`oi] [`oi] - κoρόιδo (koroido)
b) when there are dialytics (umlaut) on the second vowel as in oϊ = [oi] [oi] - κoρoϊδία (koroidia)
(also with dialytics+stress at second component oΐ = [o`i] - Λοΐζος (LoIzos)

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In Modern Greek the digramme OY
1) [u]is pronounced
a)when without stress at all: oυ = [u] - oυρανός (ouranos)
b)or when a stress on its second component: oύ = [u]

2) is pronounced with its components split completely /oi/
a) when the stress lies on the first vowel, as in όυ = [`oi]
b) when there are dialytics (umlaut) on the second vowel as in oϋ = [oi] - πρoϋπόθεσις (proipothesis)
(also with dialytics+stress at second component oΰ = [o`i]

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In Modern Greek the digramme AY is pronounced:
1) [av] : before vowels and β [v], γ [g], δ [d], ζ [z], λ [l], μ [m], ν [n], ρ [r]
[af] : in all other cases
a)when without stress at all: αυ = [af] or [av]
b)or when a stress on its second component: αύ = [`af] or [`av]

2) is pronounced with its components split completely /ai/
a) when the stress lies on the first vowel, as in άυ = [`ai]
b) when there are dialytics (umlaut) on the second vowel as in αϋ = [ai]
(also with dialytics+stress at second component αΰ = [a`i]

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In Modern Greek the digramme EY is pronounced:
1) [ev] : before vowels and β [v], γ [g], δ [d], ζ [z], λ [l], μ [m], ν [n], ρ [r];
[ef] : in all other cases.
a)when without stress at all: ευ = [ef] or [ev] - Eυρώπη (Evropi), ευχαριστώ (efharisto)
b)or when a stress on its second component: εύ = [`ef] or [`ev] εύρηκα (evrika)

2) is pronounced with its components split completely /ei/
a) when the stress lies on the first vowel, as in έυ = [`ei]
b) when there are dialytics (umlaut) on the second vowel as in εϋ = [ei]
(also with dialytics+stress at second component εΰ = [e`i]