Long-Vowel Shifts in English, c.1050–1700

Evidence from Spelling

Gjertrud Flermoen Stenbrenden

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781316496657
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• Subtopic: Historical & Comparative Linguistics
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

The English language has undergone many sound changes in its long history. Some of these changes had a profound effect on the pronunciation of the language. A number of these significant instances of language evolution are generally grouped together and termed the 'Great Vowel Shift'. These changes are generally considered to be unrelated to other, similar long-vowel changes taking place a little earlier. This book assesses an extensive range of irregular Middle English spellings for all these changes, with a view to identifying the real course of events: the dates, the chronology, and the dialects that stand out as being innovative. Using empirical evidence to offer a fresh perspective and drawing new, convincing conclusions, Stenbrenden offers an interpretation of the history of the English language which may change our view of sound change completely.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title
• Series information
• Title page
• Copyright information
• Table of contents
• List of figures
• List of tables
• List of abbreviations
• 1 Introduction
• 2 The development of OE ā
• 3 The development of OE ǣ
• 4 The development of OE ē and ēo
• 5 The development of ME ī
• 6 The development of OE ō
• 7 The development of ME ū
• 8 The development of OE ȳ
• 9 Summary and conclusions
• References
• Index