Realm: OE to ME sound changes OE pronunciation ME non-deterministic

PreAffectedAfterReplacementDescriptionInternalWeightWhen
[td]{!vwl}{!vwl} // /t/ and /d/ were often lost in heavy clusters
Strang:250
Show
: [td] : [bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç][bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]
: [rd] : [acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV][acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV]
11150-1400
wl // /wl/ becomes simple /l/
Strang:166
Show
: w : l
: u : l
11350-1600
wr // /wr/ is reduced to /r/
Strang:166
Show
: w : r
: u : T
11350-1600
^fns /s/ qinitial /fn/ was absorbed into commoner /sn/
Strang:166
Show
^ : f : n
^ : f : n
11400-1500
e:o@ /ə/ Fsecond element reduction in /e:o/ (by 970)
Strang:287
Show
e: : o :
J : o :
1950-1020
[e&]a@ /ə/ Fsecond element reduction in /e:a/ or /æ:a/ (by 970)
Strang:287
Show
[eæ] : a :
[eG] : b :
1950-1020
@$ // unstressed final <e>, read /ə/, was dropped during ME
Millward:133
Show
: ə : $
: F : $
11050-1500
ltS // /l/ was lost in the vicinity of tS (before)
Millward:128
Show
: l : tʃ
: l : rB
2not set
tSl // /l/ was lost in the vicinity of /tʃ/ (after)
Millward:128
Show
tʃ : l :
rB : l :
2not set
ie: /e:/ J/i/ sporadically became /e:/ later in the 13th century
Millward:132
Show
: i :
: i :
501200-1300
uo: /o:/ N/u/ sporadically became /o:/ later in the 13th century
Millward:132
Show
: u :
: s :
501200-1300
a({!vwl}+{vwl}+.*)?$a: /a:/ H/a/ lenghtened in open syllables in the 13th century (FIXME: open syllables)
Millward:132
Show
: a : ([bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]+[aeiouɪɔʊəææ:a:e:ə:i:ɪ:o:ɔ:ʊ:u:yy:]+.*)?$
: b : ([acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV]+[beiosyADFGIHJKLMNOPQSW]+.*)?$
50001200-1300
e({!vwl}+{vwl}+.*)?$e: /e:/ J/e/ lenghtened in open syllables in the 13th century (FIXME: open syllables)
Millward:132
Show
: e : ([bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]+[aeiouɪɔʊəææ:a:e:ə:i:ɪ:o:ɔ:ʊ:u:yy:]+.*)?$
: e : ([acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV]+[beiosyADFGIHJKLMNOPQSW]+.*)?$
50001200-1300
o({!vwl}+{vwl}+.*)?$o: /o:/ N/o/ lenghtened in open syllables in the 13th century (FIXME: open syllables)
Millward:132
Show
: o : ([bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]+[aeiouɪɔʊəææ:a:e:ə:i:ɪ:o:ɔ:ʊ:u:yy:]+.*)?$
: o : ([acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV]+[beiosyADFGIHJKLMNOPQSW]+.*)?$
50001200-1300
a:{!vwl}({!vwl}.*)?$a /a/ b/a:/ shortened in closed stressed syllables during the 10th century (FIXME: closed stressed)
Millward:132-133
Show
: a: : [bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]([bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç].*)?$
: H : [acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV]([acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV].*)?$
2000900-1000
&:{!vwl}({!vwl}.*)?$& /æ/ G/æ:/ shortened in closed stressed syllables during the 10th century (FIXME: closed stressed)
Millward:132-133
Show
: æ: : [bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]([bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç].*)?$
: I : [acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV]([acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV].*)?$
1900-1000
e:{!vwl}({!vwl}.*)?$e /e/ e/e:/ shortened in closed stressed syllables during the 10th century (FIXME: closed stressed)
Millward:132-133
Show
: e: : [bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]([bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç].*)?$
: J : [acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV]([acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV].*)?$
2000900-1000
i:{!vwl}({!vwl}.*)?$i /i/ i/i:/ shortened in closed stressed syllables during the 10th century (FIXME: closed stressed)
Millward:132-133
Show
: i: : [bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]([bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç].*)?$
: L : [acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV]([acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV].*)?$
2000900-1000
o:{!vwl}({!vwl}.*)?$o /o/ o/o:/ shortened in closed stressed syllables during the 10th century (FIXME: closed stressed)
Millward:132-133
Show
: o: : [bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]([bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç].*)?$
: N : [acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV]([acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV].*)?$
2000900-1000
u:{!vwl}({!vwl}.*)?$u /u/ s/u:/ shortened in closed stressed syllables during the 10th century (FIXME: closed stressed)
Millward:132-133
Show
: u: : [bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]([bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç].*)?$
: Q : [acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV]([acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV].*)?$
2000900-1000
y:{!vwl}({!vwl}.*)?$y /y/ S/y:/ shortened in closed stressed syllables during the 10th century (FIXME: closed stressed)
Millward:132-133
Show
: y: : [bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]([bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç].*)?$
: W : [acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV]([acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV].*)?$
1900-1000
imbi: /i:/ L/i/ lenghtened before /mb/ (as early as OE and survived the 14th c. shortening)
Millward:132
Show
: i : mb
: i : ma
1950-1100
ombo: /o:/ N/o/ lenghtened before /mb/ (as early as OE and survived the 14th c. shortening)
Millward:132
Show
: o : mb
: o : ma
1950-1100
i[nl]di: /i:/ L/i/ lenghtened before /nd/ and /ld/ (as early as OE and survived the 14th c. shortening)
Millward:132
Show
: i : [nl]d
: i : [nl]d
1950-1100
u[nl]du: /u:/ Q/u/ lenghtened before /nd/ and /ld/ (as early as OE and survived the 14th c. shortening)
Millward:132
Show
: u : [nl]d
: s : [nl]d
1950-1100
alda: /a:/ H/a/ lenghtened before /ld/ (as early as OE and survived the 14th c. shortening)
Millward:132
Show
: a : ld
: b : ld
1950-1100
elde: /e:/ J/e/ lenghtened before /ld/ (as early as OE and survived the 14th c. shortening)
Millward:132
Show
: e : ld
: e : ld
1950-1100
oldo: /o:/ N/o/ lenghtened before /ld/ (as early as OE and survived the 14th c. shortening)
Millward:132
Show
: o : ld
: o : ld
1950-1100
i:wiu /iu/ is/iu/ developed from /i:w/
Millward:130
Show
: i:w :
: Lu :
1not set
e:@wiu /iu/ is/iu/ developed from /e:əw/
Millward:130
Show
: e:əw :
: JFu :
1not set
&:@?weu /eu/ es/eu/ developed from /æ:w/ and /æ:əw/
Millward:130
Show
: æ:ə?w :
: IF?u :
1not set
a[wQx]u /u/ s/au/ developed from /aw/, /aɣ/ and /ax/
Millward:130
Show
a : [wɣx] :
b : [uRv] :
1not set
[a:o:o][wQx]ou /ou/ os/ou/ developed from /a:w/, /a:ɣ/, /a:x/ and also from /o:w/, /oɣ/ and /ox/
Millward:130
Show
: [a:o:o][wɣx] :
: [HNo][uRv] :
1not set
[&e]j&i /æi/ Gi/æi/ developed from /æj/ and /ej/
Millward:130
Show
: [æe]j :
: [Ge]j :
1not set
&@xi /i/ i/æi/ developed from /æəx/
Millward:130
Show
æ : əx :
G : Fv :
1not set
yi /i/ i/y/ unrounded to /i/ (dating dependent on dialect)
Millward:129
Show
: y :
: S :
1950-1500
y:i: /i:/ L/y:/ unrounded to /i:/ (dating dependent on dialect)
Millward:129
Show
: y: :
: W :
1950-1500
&a /a/ b/æ/ lowered to /a/ in all dialects by the end of ME (Millward) 970-1170 (Strang)
Millward:129;Strang:292
Show
: æ :
: G :
1950-1500
a:o: /o:/ N/a:/ was rounded to /o:/ in the beginning of ME
Millward:129;Strang:292
Show
: a: :
: H :
1950-1200
..[aeou]@ /ə/ Fshort vowels were reduced to schwa in unstressed syllables (beginning in OE and continuing in ME) (FIXME: unstr.syl.)
Millward:130
Show
.. : [aeou] :
.. : [beos] :
1000900-1500
{!vwl}@ // after a consonant, the difference between a schwa and nothing is not very significant
Show
[bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç] : ə :
[acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV] : F :
1000not set
e@e /e/ ethe /eə/ diphthong smoothed to /e/ in Middle English
Millward:130
Show
: eə :
: eF :
11050-1500
&@a /a/ bthe /æə/ diphthong smoothed to /a/ in Middle English
Millward:130
Show
: æə :
: GF :
11050-1500
[e:&:]@e: /e:/ Jthe diphthongs /æ:ə/ and /e:ə/ smoothed to /e:/ in Middle English
Millward:130
Show
: [e:æ:]ə :
: [JI]F :
11050-1500
{!vwl}{!vwl}@ /ə/ Fa parasitic schwa between two consonants
Millward:130
Show
[bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç] : : [bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]
[acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV] : : [acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV]
5not set
^j[eiI]i /i/ ithe <ge-> prefix was reduced to /i/
Millward:127
Show
^ : j[eiɪ] :
^ : j[eiy] :
1not set
[lr]Qw /w/ u/ɣ/ became the semivowel /w/ after /r/ or /l/
Millward:127;Strang 250
Show
[lr] : ɣ :
[lT] : R :
11150-1400
{vwl}{!vwl}$ // unstressed final consonant was lost in Middle English (FIXME:unstressed)
Millward:127
Show
[aeiouɪɔʊəææ:a:e:ə:i:ɪ:o:ɔ:ʊ:u:yy:] : [bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç] : $
[beiosyADFGIHJKLMNOPQSW] : [acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV] : $
11050-1500
[st]w // /w/ dropped after /s/ or /t/
Millward:127
Show
[st] : w :
[qr] : u :
1not set
v{vwl}?{!vwl} // /v/ tended to drop out before a consonant or vowel + consonant
Millward:128;Strang:250
Show
: v : [aeiouɪɔʊəææ:a:e:ə:i:ɪ:o:ɔ:ʊ:u:yy:]?[bcdfghjklmnpqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]
: t : [beiosyADFGIHJKLMNOPQSW]?[acdfghjklmnpUqrtuvwxzBCERTV]
11150-1400
mb$ // /b/ was lost after /m/ in the word-final position by the end of ME
Millward:128
Show
m : b : $
m : a : $
11300-1500
m{!vwl & !(blb & stp)}b /b/ aintrusive /b/ after /m/
Millward:128;Strang:166
Show
m : : [cdfghjklmnqstvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]
m : : [cdfghjklmnUqrtuvwxzBCERTV]
31350-1600
m$b /b/ afinal intrusive /b/ after /m/
Millward:128;Strang:166
Show
m : : $
m : : $
31350-1600
n{!vwl & !(alv & stp)}d /d/ dintrusive /d/ between /n/ and a consonant
Millward:128;Strang:166
Show
n : : [bcfghjklmnpqsvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]
n : : [acfghjklmnpUqtuvwxzBCERTV]
31350-1600
n$d /d/ dfinal intrusive /d/ after /n/
Millward:128;Strang:166
Show
n : : $
n : : $
31350-1600
s{!vwl & !(stp & alv)}t /t/ rintrusive /t/ after /s/
Millward:128;Strang:166
Show
s : : [bcfghjklmnpqsvwxzðŋʃθʒɣrç]
q : : [acfghjklmnpUqtuvwxzBCERTV]
31350-1600
s$t /t/ rfinal intrusive /t/ after /s/
Millward:128;Strang:166
Show
s : : $
q : : $
31350-1600
{vwl}j[aeoi] //
Show
[aeiouɪɔʊəææ:a:e:ə:i:ɪ:o:ɔ:ʊ:u:yy:]j[aeoi] : :
[beiosyADFGIHJKLMNOPQSW]j[beoi] : :
1not set
h // /h/ was often lost in unstressed positions (FIXME: unstressed)
Millward:128;Strang:250
Show
: h :
: h :
20001150-1400
^h[lnr] // /h/ was lost in initial position before /l/, /n/ and /r/
Millward:127;Strang 250
Show
^ : h : [lnr]
^ : h : [lnT]
11150-1400
Qw /w/ u/ɣ/ became /w/ by 1200 in most places
Millward:127;Strang 250
Show
: ɣ :
: R :
100001100-1250
&:e: /e:/ J/æ:/ became /e:/ (two possible sources)
Millward:129
Show
: æ: :
: I :
1800-1100
&:e /e/ e/æ:/ could also became /e/ during ME
Strang:292
Show
: æ: :
: I :
11050-1500
&:ea /ea/ eb/æ:/ could also became /ea/ during ME
Strang:292
Show
: æ: :
: I :
11050-1500
ea& /æ/ G/ea/ smooths to /æ/ (before /æ/ changes to /a/ -> 10th cent?)
Strang:292
Show
: ea :
: eb :
1900-1000

created by Dan Marek, 2010