The vowels of RP SQUARE

In RP this is a long monophthong at a front half-open position, articulated with lips spread: there might or might not be some slight off-gliding present, giving [ε:^ə ~ ε:​] , but the dominant effect is of a single sound here. Trad-RP SQUARE is characterized by a centring diphthong [εə]. The monophthong-diphthong distinction between RP and trad-RP is, with TRAP-variation, one of the clearest that can be identified between the most modern and more dated varieties of the accent.