Table X - sound & spelling changes OE > eME
from Old English (early West Saxon) to Early Middle English (East Midland c 1200)
The main developments - a summary:
-
900:
- difference between dialects: OE WS ie, i_e = OE A e, e_
-
1000 - 1100:
- monopthongisation and lowering: ea > ae then ae > a
- monopthongisation: e_a > ae_
- smoothing: eah, e_ah > eh, e_h
- lengthening of short vowels before ld, nd, ng 1
- shortening of long vowels before ht, pt, st, fd
- unstressed short vowels > e /@`/
-
1100 - 1200:
- loss of initial h before l, n, r
- unrounding: y, y_ > i, i_
- spelling - y%: g` /j/ > y%
- closing and shortening before y%: ae_g`, e_g` > ey% 9
- spelling - k: c /k/ > k before e, i 11
- monopthongisation: eo, e_o > e, e_
Abbreviations
- PC2
- Peterborough Chronicle (EM 1154)
- Orm
- Ormulum (EM 1161)
- Owl
- Owl & Nightingale (SE 1200?)
- Lmn
- Layamon (WM 1220?)
- AW
- Ancrene Wisse (WM 1220?)
- PH3
- Proclamation of Henry III (SW 1258)
- SO
- Sir Orfeo (EM 1300?)
- Ch
- Chaucer (EM 1368)
- eME
- Early Middle English
- OE
- Old English
- ModE
- Modern English
| sound (change)2 | OE spelling | eME spelling | OE examples | eME equivalents | PC2/Orm | Ch | ModE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| /a/ > /a:/ | a + ng | a_ + ng | strang, lang (o) | stra_ng, la_ng | lange | stroong, long(e) | strong, long 3 |
| /ae/ > /a/ | ae | a | waes, t`aet, aet | was, t`at, at | was, t`at, at | was, that, at | was, that, at |
| /ae:/ > /e/ | ae_ + g` | e + y% 9 | ae_g`t`er | ey%t`er | ey%y%t`err, eit`er Owl | eyther | either |
| /ae:/ > /a/ | ae_ + fd/st | a + fd/st | lae_fdig`e, lae_stan | lafdiy%, lasten | laffdiy%, lastede | lady, laste(n) | lady, last |
| /ae:/ > /E`:/ | ae_ | ae_ | sae_, wae_pen, hae_lan, lae_dan | sae_, wae_pen, hae_len, lae_den | laed, laeden Lmn | - | sea, weapon, heal, lead |
| /ae:/ > /e:/5 | ae_ | e_ 5 | dae_d, ae_fen, ae_l, grae_dig`, nae_dl, sae_d, slae_pan, strae_t 5 | de__d, e__fen, e__l, gre__diy%, ne__del, se__d, sle__pen, stre__t 5 | dede, efenn, nedle, sed, slepen | de(e)de, se(e)d, strete, sle(e)p | deed, eve, eel, greedy, needle, seed, sleep, street 5 |
| /k/ | c + e/i/y | k + e/i | cynn, cy_t`an, ascian | kinn, ki_t`en , asken | kinn, kit`enn | aske(n) | kin, ask |
| /k/ | c final | k 11 | a_c, bo_c, e_ac (e_c) | a_k, bo_k, e_k | ac, boc (boke), ec | book | book |
| /tS`/ > /k/ | c` + ea | c + a | c`ealf | calf | callf | - | calf 4 |
| /E`A`/ > /a/ | ea | a | eall, c`ealf, g`eaf | all, calf, y%af | all, iaf | all, yaf | all, calf |
| /E`:A`/ > /E`:/ | e_a | ae_ | g`e_ar, e_ar | y%ae_r, ae_r | gaer, aer | ye(e)r, ere | year |
| /E`A`/ > /e/ | ea + h | e + h | eahta | ehte | ey%te PH3 | eight | eight |
| /E`:A`/ > /e:/ | e_a + h (g, c) | e_ + h (g, k) | ne_ah, he_ah, e_agen, e_ac | ne_h, he_h, e_gen, e_k | neh, heh, ey%h%ne, ec | negh, heigh, eyghen, eek | nigh, high, eye |
| /E`A`/ > /a:/ | ea + ld | a_ + ld | eald, healdan | a_ld, ha_lden | ald, haldenn | oold, holde(n) | old, hold |
| /e:/ > /e/ | e_ + g` | e + y% 9 | be_g`en, twe_g`en | bey%en, twey%en | beien, bey%y%en, twey%y%enn | - | - |
| /eo/ > /2`/ > /e/ | eo | e | eort`e, heorte, feoh | ert`e, herte, feh | ert`e, he(o)rrte, fehh | erthe, herte | earth, heart, fee |
| /e:o/ > /2`:/ > /e:/ | e_o | e_ | t`e_ostrode, le_of, le_oma | t`e_strede, le_f, le_me | t`estrede, le(o)me | leef | - |
| /e:/ > /e/ | e_ + pt | e + pt | ce_pte | kepte | keppte | - | kept (cp. keep) |
| /j/ | g` | y% | ong`e_an, g`i_et, manig`, daeg`, pleg`an, weg`, manig` | ony%ae_n, y%e_t, maniy%, day%, pley%en, wey%, maniy% | onny%aen, y%et, daei, day%y%, maniy% | ayen, yet, day, wey, many | yet, day, play, way, many |
| /j@`/ > /i:/ | g`e (prefix) | i | g`ehwilc`, g`ehaten, g`ecleoped | ihwilc, ihaten, icleped | iwhillc, y%ehatenn | which, yclept | which |
| /h/ > /-/ | h + l/n/r | l/n/r | hlae_fdig`e, hnesce, hreowsung | lafdiy%, nesce, rewsing | laffdiy%, nesshe, rewwsunng | lady | lady |
| /h/ > /-/ | h final | - 7 | mearh me_ares, seolh se_oles, wealh we_ales, feoh fe_s, sc`o_h sc`o_s | mar mares, sel seles, wal wales, fe_ fe_s, sco_ sco_s | fehh, fe dat, sco nom | fee, mare, sho(o) | mare, seal, Wales, walnut, fee, shoe |
| /-(@`)/ > /G``@`/ | g final + e(s) 7 | slo_h slo_s, wo_h wo_s, fearh fe_ares, feorh fe_ores gen sg | slo_h slo_ges, wo_h wo_ges, farh farges, ferh ferges | woy%h%e, woge dat, iferhet AW | slow/slough | slough, farrow | |
| /i@`/ > /e/ | ie | e | g`iefan, g`ieman, wiersa | y%efen, y%emen, werse | y%emenn, y%ifenn, waerse | yeve(n), werse(e) | |
| /i:@`/ > /e:/ | i_e | e_ | hi_eran, a_nli_epig` | he_ren, a_nle_piy% | anlepiy% | he(e)ren | hear |
| /i@`/ > /e:/ | ie + ld | e_ + ld | bieldan | be_lden | beldenn | - | - |
| /i/ > /i:/ | i + ld/nd | i_ + ld/nd | c`ild, findan | ci_ld, fi_nden | child, findenn /i:/ | child, fynde(n) | child, find /ai/ |
| /u/ > /u:/ | u + nd | u_ + nd | hund, g`efunden | hu_nd, ifu_nden | hund /u:/ | hound, found | |
| /u:/ > /u/ | u_ + st | u + st | du_st | dust | dusst | dust | |
| /u/ (-) > /w@`/ | u (-) final | -we 6 | beadu, sinu, sc`eadu, searu, mae_d, lae_s nom sg |
badwe, sinwe, scadwe, sarwe, mae_dwe, lae_swe | schadewe AW | synwes, shad(e)we, medewe | sinew, shadow, meadow, leasow obs |
| /w@`/(s) > /@`/(s) | we(s) final | -es 6 | bealwes, melwes, smerwes gen sg |
bales, meles, smeres | mele, smere acc | bale dat | bale's, meal's, smear's |
| /y/ > /i/ | y | i | hyll, synn | hill, sinn | hill, sinne | synne /i/ | hill, sin |
| /y:/ > /i:/ | y_ | i_ | my_s, fy_r | mi_s, fi_r | fir | fyr(e) /i:/ | mice, fire /ai/ |
| /y/ > /i:/ | y + nd | i_ + nd | cynd | ki_nd | kinde /i:/ | kind /ai/ |
Notes
- and less frequently or consistently, before mb and rd as well
- the values assigned to OE diphthongs in this table are often approximations and/or simplifications; greater detail is given in the development of sounds from OE in this site; however for a clearer and more accurate picture of OE sounds, please consult Lass 1, particulaly the chapter on Phonology & Morphology, or Wikipedia's Old English Phonology, or a reputable OE grammar
- but OE sang (3sg.pt. of singan) > ModE sang
- but OE cealc > ModE chalk
- ModE test; rule is as follows: where OE has ae_ and ModE has ee, eME has e_; most common affected forms are listed given here;
note: the usual reflex of OE ae_ is ModE ea, e.g. sae_, wae_pen > sea, weapon; however OE WS ae_ appeared as e_ in OE A in a small number of words where the ancestral vowel was WGmc or Lat a_; - ModE test; rule is as follows: final -u > -e where ModE has reflex without final -ow, otherwise -u > -we; complete list of affected forms is given here;
- ModE test; rule is as follows: final -h drops where ModE has reflex without final -gh or -ow; otherwise -h remains and gen & pl are formed with -g; complete list of affected forms is given here;
- see reduction of consonant clusters; note - this sound change is not covered in Johannesson 2
- eME ay% and ey%, regardless of origin, had probably become the diphthongs /ai:/ and /ei:/ respectively, by the end of the 12th century; this is reflected in the alt eME spelling variant
- eME iy%, regardless of origin, had probably dropped the yod to become /i:/ by the end of the 12th century; this is reflected in the alt eME spelling variant
- k is also used for /k/ at the end of a word in the default spelling of this site, since final c is /tS`/
| sound | OE spelling | alt. eME spelling | OE examples | eME equivalents | PC2/Orm | Ch | ModE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| /indg/ > /ing/ | i + ndg | i + ng 8 | mindgian | mingen | mynged Gaw, mingen MED | - | - |
| /ij@`/ > /ij/ | ig`e | iy% 10 | hlae_fdig`e | lafdiy% | laffdiy% | lady | lady |
| /i:/ > /i/ | i_ + g`(e) | iy% 10 | Fri_g`edaeg` | Friy%day% | Fridaei | Friday | Friday |
| sound | OE spelling | alt. eME spelling | OE examples | eME equivalents | PC2/Orm | Ch | ModE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| /tS`/ | c` | ch | c`iric`e, c`i_ese, c`ild, g`emaec`c`a | circe, ce_se , ci_ld, macce | circe, caese, child, macche | chirche, chese | church, cheese, child, match |
| /v/ | f (intervocalic) | v | de_ofol, ae_fre | de_fel, ae_fre | deofell, deoules, aefre, aeure | devel, ever(e) | devil, ever |
| /G``/ | g (medial) | y% | a_gen, bolgen, lagu | a_gen, bolgen, lage | ay%h%enn, bolly%h%enn, lay%h%e | owen, lawe | own, law |
| /xw/ | hw | wh | hwaet, hwa_, hwi_l | hwat, hwa_, hwi_l | whatt, wha, whil | what, who, whil(e) | what, who, while |
| /S`/ | sc | sch | scolde, flae_sc, scearp | scolde, flae_sc, scarp | sculde, flesc, scarp | s(c)holde, flessh | should, flesh, sharp |
References
- Lass, Roger. The Cambridge History of the English Language Volume II 1066-1479, Cambridge University Press 1992
- Johannesson, Nils-Lennart. East Midland dialect features, formerly housed at the Orrmulum Project. NB - follow the numbered links for details on Phonology and the lengthening and shortening of vowels. Installing fonts will make these pages easier to read.