The diphthongs

15. FACE: The only realization is [eɪ]. The first element tends to be short, as is the [ɪ] glide. In this regard InSAfE differs from varieties of SAfE which involve varying degrees of lowering, with centralizing of the [e].

16. GOAT: The usual diphthong here is [oʊ] with a weakly-rounded first element. For some speakers the glide [ʊ] is short, resulting in [o^ʊ] as a variant. However, monophthongal [o:], as in varieties of northern British English, is rare. The range of the initial element /o/ ranges from back to central-back, but does not approach fully-central or fronted or lowered variants found in other varieties of SAfE.

17. PRICE: The usual variant here is [aɪ], with degrees of centralizing of the [a]. The glide element [ɪ] is not weakened in contrast to other varieties of SAfE, including local prestige 'white' varieties in KwaZulu-Natal, in which a tendency towards monophthongisation exists

18. CHOICE: The usual variant here is [ɔɪ], with half-open [ɔ]. Closer variants involving [o] may be used by some speakers in formal public styles, in response to the greater prestige of this variant within general SAfE.

19. MOUTH: The usual variant is [ɑʊ], with fronter pronunciations of the first element in the direction of [a] also possible. The gliding element [ʊ] is not weakened, unlike general SAfE, where a tendency towards monophthongisation is present.

20. NEAR: The usual pronunciation of this diphthong is [i:jε], that is a long [i:] and a fairly open [ε] are spread over two syllables with an intervening glide [j]; thus [fi:jε] 'fear', [tʃi:jε] 'cheer', etc. However, [ɪə] surfaces in polysyllabic words like fearsome , and cheerful .

21. SQUARE: This diphthong is usually reduced to the long monophthong [e:] as in general SAfE. The [e:] is slightly retracted in InSAfE. The RP equivalent [εə] is associated with 'Speech and Drama' accents, and is not aimed at by InSAfE speakers outside the acting world.

Some speakers exhibit considerable overlap between the NURSE and SQUARE vowels, i.e. between [з:] and [e:]. A cross-over is sometimes heard between pairs like fur-fair, with [e:] – [з:] respectively, rather than the expected reverse pattern of other varieties. Likewise hair and parents may each waver between centralized [e] and [з:].