table of alternate spellings
available for all eME texts in englesaxe
The following table provides examples of the alternate spellings available for eME texts in englesaxe. Each sound has its own row and for each sound, one or two (sometimes three) eME words are provided to demonstrate the alternate spellings of those sounds. Each column corresponds to a different spelling scheme.
- eME
- Early Middle English
- alt
- alternative eME spelling
- PC1
- Peterborough Chronicle (EM 1122-31)
- PC2
- Peterborough Chronicle (EM 1155)
- Orm
- Ormulum (EM 1161)
- PH3
- Proclamation of Henry III (SW 1258)
- SO
- Sir Orfeo (EM 1300?)
- Ch
- Chaucer (EM 1368)
- ModE
- Modern English
| eME | eME alt. | PC1 | PC2 | Orm | Orm (mod.) | PH3 | SO | Ch | late ME | ModE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| /A`:/ | sta__n, ba__t | sta__n, ba__t | sta_n, ba_t | sta__n, ba__t | stan, bat | sta__n, ba__t | - | - | - | - | - |
| /O`:/ | - | - | - | - | - | - | stoan, boat | sto`n, bo`t | sto`n, bo`t | stone, boat | stone, boat |
| /a/ | calf, maken | calf, maken | calf, macen | calf, maken | callf, makkenn | calf, maken | calf, maken | calf, maken | calf, maken | calf, maken | calf, make |
| /e:/ | fe__t | fe__t | fe_t | fe__t | fet | fe__t | fe__t | fe__t | feet | feet | feet |
| /E`:/ | straem | straem | strae_m | strae__m | straem | straem | stream | stre`m | stre`m | stream | stream |
| /i:/ | li__f | li__f | li_f | li__f | lif | li__f | li__f | liif | lyf | lyf | life |
| /o:/ | go__d | go__d | go_d | go__d | god | go__d | go__d | go__d | good | good | good |
| /u:/ | hu__s | hu__s | hu_s | hu__s | hus | hu__s | hu__s | hous | hous | hous | house |
| /j/ | y%ung, y%e__, ay%aenes | y`ung, y`e__, ay`aenes | g`ung, g`e_, ag`ae_nes | iung, ie__, aiae__nes | y%unng, y%e, ay%aeness | y`ung, y`e__, ay`aenes | y`ung, y`e__, ay`eanes | y`ung, y`e__, ay`e`nes | yung, ye__, aye`nes | yung, ye, ayeanes | young, ye, against |
| /aI`/ | day%, say%de | dai, saide | daeg`, saeg`de | daei, saeide | day%y%, say%y%de | day`, say`de | dai, saide | dai, saide | day, sayde | day, saide | day, said |
| /j@`/~ | - | - | g`esaeg`d, g`eno_h | - | y`esay`y`d, inoh | y`esay`d, ino__h | - | - | - | - | - |
| /i:/~ | isay`d, ino__h | isaid, ino__h | - | isaeid, ino__h | - | - | isaid, ino__y` | ysaid, ynouy` | ysayd, ynough | ysaid, ynough | said, enough |
| ~/ij/ | maniy` | - | manig` | - | manniy` | maniy` | - | - | - | - | - |
| ~/i:/ | - | mani__ | - | mani__ | - | - | mani__ | mani | many | many | many |
| /S`/ | sce__ld | sce__ld | sce_ld | sce__ld | sheld | she__ld | sche__ld | sche__ld | sheeld | sheeld | shield |
| /tS`/ | ci__ld | chi__ld | c`i_ld | ci__ld | child | chi__ld | chi__ld | chiild | chyld | chyld | child |
| /dZ`/ | bricy%e | brig`g`e | bric`g`e | brig`g`e | brig``e | brig``e | brig`g`e | brig`g`e | brig`g`e | brig`g`e | bridge |
| /x/,/ç/ | niht, burh | niht, burh | niht, burh | niht, burh | nihht, burrh | niht, burh | niy`t, bury` | niy`t, bury` | night, burgh | night, burgh | night, borough |
| /xw/ | hwat | what | hwat | wat | whatt | what | what | what | what | what | what |
| /G``/ | sorge | sory`e | sorge | sorche | sorry`h`e | sory`h`e | sory`e | sorwh`e | sorwe | sorowe | sorrow |
| /kw/ | cwe__n | que__n | cwe_n | cue__n | cwen | cwe__n | que__n | que__n | queen | queen | queen |
| /v/ | ifel | ivel | ivel | ivel | ifell | ifel | ivel | ivel | ivel | ivel | evil |