Today A Sound Change continued Rotations

Today A. Sound Change, continued: • • Rotations, Mergers and Splits Understanding the Great Vowel Shift Bringing synchronic data to bear on past data (Milroy and Harris, Milroy and Milroy) B. Read for next time: ’ • Labov 15 [all], 16 [451 -454]

1. What constitute possible vowel system changes? A. 1. 2. 3. The historical record provides compelling evidence for: Shifts Mergers Rotations

1. What constitute possible vowel system changes? A. The historical record provides compelling evidence for: 1. Shifts: Minimal Chain Shift: a change in the position of two phonemes, so that Phoneme A leaves an original position which B then assumes: /A --> B/ Extended Chain Shift: a change in the position of two phonemes, so that the entering value of one minimal chain replaces the leaving value of a second minimal chain: /A --> B --> C --> D/ 2. Mergers: a change in the position of two phonemes, so that Phoneme A leaves an original position and enters a new position occupied by another phoneme, B: /A/ --> /B/ 3. Rotations: equivalent to Extended Chain Shifts

3. Principles of Vowel Shifting C C 1. Connectedness of elements in a shift Functional economy is honored in that vowels move together to avoid merger and preserve contrast in meaning. C 2. Phonological changes are largely free of functional motivation C 3. Phonological changes are socially systematic, but often (in cases of “change from below”) below the level of social awareness.

3. Principles of Vowel Shifting C C C Principles governing chain shifting Principle 1. In chain shifts, long vowels rise. Principle 2. In chain shifts, short vowels fall. 2 a. The nuclei of upgliding diphthongs fall. Principle 3. In chain shifts, back vowels move to the front. C Central concepts: -- principles apply only to vowel shifts identified as chain shifts -- applicable only where there is a phonological contrast between long and short vowels -- principles have been combined into patterns, describing their attested application in the world’s languages (Labov, Table 5. 1). -- subsystems in a vowel system refer to portions of the inventory that pattern similarly (respond in like manner to a similar conditioning environment, face the same restrictions--e. g. , checked vs. free) C •

3. Principles of Vowel Shifting C Patterns occurring in attested chain shifts C Pattern I: combines Principle I with diphthongization of previously monophthongal vocalic nuclei. (English Great Vowel Shift) C Pattern II: combines all three principles, I-III. (North Frisian) C Pattern III: combines Principles I, III. (North Frisian)

3. Principles of Vowel Shifting C C Examples: Pattern I: combines Principle I with diphthongization of previously monophthongal vocalic nuclei. (English Great Vowel Shift) [iy]: upgliding [I´]: downgliding

3. Principles of Vowel Shifting C C Examples: Pattern II: combines all three principles, I-III [Q]>[ia]: breaking

3. Principles of Vowel Shifting C C Examples: Pattern III: combines Principles I, III.

2. The Great Vowel Shift in English § Affected the Middle English (ME) long vowel subsystem only Middle English Modern Spellings Examples /i˘/ > [ai] i, y, i. Ce, ie child, fly, tide, pie /e˘/ > [i˘] ee, ie seed, field /E˘/ > [i˘] ea, ei, e. Ce heath, conceit, complete (but break, drain, great, steak, yea!) /a˘/ > [e˘] a. Ce make, dame /ç˘/ > [o˘] oa, o. Ce boat, hope /o˘/ > [u˘] oo food, goose /u˘/ > [a. U] ou, ow house, how

2. Principles of Vowel Shifting: perspective gained from synchronic variation C Insights from recent work: § operated systematically on the prestige dialect (West Saxon) in southwestern England 1500 -1700. § did not proceed at the same rate in all regions § all social classes were not affected in the same way. §. . . symmetricality has been questioned. § Gains possible from a synchronic perspective § § § -- spread of a change through the speech community -- spread of a change through a phonetic class vs. through the lexicon -- time depth associated with the change

• 3. The Belfast Study (Milroy and Harris, 1980) n n Questions: Authors refer to the present in Belfast to discuss MEAT/MATE/MEET merging in Early Modern English. Is this reasonable? n Explanations: n n How did the centring glide develop? How do we explain the apparent “leapfrogging” of word classes? • •

• 3. The Belfast Study (Milroy and Milroy, 1978) 1. Purpose: Study the rise of an urban vernacular in Belfast 2. Approach: • Observations were not conducted across social classes, but within one social class (working class) • Status differences acknowledged • 3. Variables: • (a) bag, fat, man MC norm=[a], WC variants are [Q A E] Conditioned • (√) pull, took, look, would WC variants are [√ ¨] Lexical, Gender-graded • • (E) bet, peck, slep WC variants are [E´ Q] Binary choice in some environments (_NT), gradual raising in others, Gender-graded