The /eɪ/ diphthong is spelled <aCe>, <ai>, <ay> or <ei> in eight, and occurs in the letter names A, H and K. The /aʊ/ diphthong is spelled <ou> or <ow>, and <au> in the loan word Frau.
This is a contrast between two diphthongs with different starting positions and direction of movement. It is not a problem for any learners.
Interesting pairs include:
abate about
profaned profound
The density figure is 8.76%. The set makes 96 semantic contrasts giving a loading of 53%.
A ow abate about ail owl ails owls allay allow allayed allowed allaying allowing allays allows arraigned around arrays arouse ate out bait bout baits bouts baize boughs baize bows bate bout bates bouts bay bough bays boughs bay bow bays bows bayed bowed baying bowing bey bough beys boughs bey bow beys bows blaze blouse blazes blouses brae brow braes brows bray brow brays brows brain brown brained browned braining browning brains browns brainy brownie braise browse braised browsed braises browses braising browsing braise brows crane crown craned crowned cranes crowns craning crowning dace douse Dane down Danes downs date doubt dated doubted dates doubts dating doubting day dhow days dhows daze dhows daze dowse dazing dowsing deign down deigned downed deigning downing deigns downs drain drown drained drowned draining drowning drains drowns drays drowse eight out fail foul failed fouled failing fouling fails fouls faint fount faints founts feigned found fray Frau gage gouge gages gouges gauge gouge gaged gouged gauges gouges gauging gouging gain gown gained gowned gaining gowning gains gowns gait gout gaol jowl gaols jowls gate gout grace grouse graced groused graces grouses gracing grousing grail growl grails growls grained ground H ouch hail howl hailed howled hails howls hailing howling hay how haze house hazed housed hazes houses hazing housing K cow K's cows kail cowl lace louse late lout latish loutish layer lour layered loured layering louring layers lours lazy lousy lazier lousier laziest lousiest mace mouse maces mouses maser mouser masers mousers May mow Mays mows nay now née now neigh now pained pound pate pout payer power payers powers play plough played ploughed playing ploughing plays ploughs playboy ploughboy playboys ploughboys praise prows pray prow prays prows prayed proud profaned profound raid rowed rained round reigned round raise rouse raised roused raises rouses raising rousing rate rout rated routed rates routs rating routing ray row rays rwos say sow scale scowl scaled scowled scales scowls scaling scowling skate scout skated scouted skating scouting skates scouts seined sound slay slough slays sloughs slaying sloughing slayed sloughed sleigh slough sleighs sloughs sleighing sloughing sleighed sloughed spate spout spates spouts spays spouse state stout stately stoutly strayed Stroud they thou trait trout waned wound way wow ways wows
John Higgins, Shaftesbury, December 2009