Definitions:
- consonant:
A basic speech sound in which the breath is at least partly obstructed and which can be combined with a vowel to form a syllable. A letter representing a consonant.
Any speech sound that involves a significant obstruction of the airstream in the vocal tract and that functions at the beginning or end of a syllable, either singly or in a cluster, or a letter of the alphabet representing such a speech sound.
- vowel:
A speech sound which is produced by comparatively open configuration of the vocal tract, with vibration of the vocal cords but without audible friction, and which is a unit of the sound system of a language that forms the nucleus of a syllable.
A speech sound, almost invariably forming the main part of a syllable, that involves no significant obstruction of the airstream through the vocal tract . Various features distinguish the sound of one vowel from another.
- diphthong:
A sound formed by the combination of two vowels in a single syllable, in which the sound begins as one vowel and moves towards another. Often contrasted with monophthong , triphthong.
Any complex vowel sound comprising a glide from one vowel sound to another within a single syllable, with movement of the tongue between the two sounds.
________
- pronunciation of “kestrel”: 
k
str
l
- philology:
Branch of knowledge that deals with the historical, linguistic, interpretative, and critical aspects of literature; literary or classical scholarship.
Branch of knowledge that deals with the structure, historical development, and relationships of languages or language families; the historical study of the phonology and morphology of languages; historical linguistics.
- etymology of “crow”: [OE. cráwe f., corresp. to OS. krâia, MLG. krâge, krâe, krâ, LG. kraie, kreie, MDu. kraeye, Du. kraai, OHG. chrâwa, chrâja, chrâ, crâwa, crâ, MHG. kræe, krâwe, krâ, Ger. krähe; a WG. deriv. of the vb. crâwan, crâian to