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In Russian linguistics, there's a term дифтонгоид (diphthongoid). For example, in textbook Современный русский литературный язык (Modern Standard Russian) by S.V. Knjazev and S.K. Pozharitskaya, it is introduced as a unit opposed to a true diphthong (Knjazev argues that a true one should have two rather equal parts, while in a diphthongoid one part is shorter than the other).

The questions are as follows:

  • Is it true that in the western tradition this term isn't employed? (Although see https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/diphthongoid and https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025100314000395)
  • What are the cases like Russian [ᶷo] (see the latter link, page 225) called? Diphthongised [X]?
  • Is it correct to say that a diphthong has 'two rather equal parts'? To my mind, it's a continuum from A to B, so, e.g., [aɪ] is a glide starting in somewhat like [a] and ending up in somewhat like [ɪ].
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    Anecdotally, I've certainly never heard the term "diphthongoid" used before.
    – Draconis ♦
    Feb 7, 2021 at 0:32
  • @Draconis - Then, how do you call the English RP [iːʲ] and [uːʷ] as in “fleece” and “goose”, alternative transcription being [ɪi] and [ʊu]? Narrow diphthongs? I call them diphthongoids.
    – Yellow Sky
    Feb 21, 2021 at 17:19

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