Evolution of the sound system 11-18 centuries Word

Evolution of the sound system 11-18 centuries

Word stress became free This final [e] disappeared in Late ME though it continued to be spelt as-e. The loss of [e] started in the North, spread to the Midlands, and reached the Southern areas by the 15th c. In the London dialect of Chaucer’s time it was very unstable and could be easily missed out before a following initial vowel or when required by rhythm

Regular changes – short vowels became long in the open syllables

The majority of Old English diphthongs were monophthongised.

GREAT VOWEL SHIFT

Early NE witnessed the greatest event in the history of English vowels — the Great Vowel Shift, which involved the change of all ME long monophthongs, and probably some of the diphthongs The Great Vowel Shift is the name given to a series of changes of vowels between the 14th and the 18th c. During this period all the vowels became closer or were diphthongised. The changes can be “independent” or as they were not caused by conditions in the syllable or in the word, but ever stressed long vowel in any position.

It is important to note that the Great Vowel Shift (unlike most of the earlier phonetic changes) was not followed by any regular spelling changes: as seen from the examples the modification in the pronunciation of words was not reflected in their written forms.

Vocalisation of r