Great Vowel Shift: Difference between revisions
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== Changes ==
This change was often divided into two phases (with a following third period in [[Early Modern English]] with less critical, minor changes) and varied slightly throughout [[English dialects]]. It concerned long [[Vowel|vowels]], short [[Vowel|vowels]] and [[Diphthong|diphthongs]] and from the [[15th century|1400s]] continued for several centuries. Some [[Consonant|consonants]]’ [[pronunciation]] changes as well and these changes are sometimes described by scholars when discussing the Great Vowel Shift.
[[File:Great Vowel Shift2b.svg|thumb|457x457px|Diagram of the changes]]
During the period of [[Middle English]], there were five short and seven long vowels. Through the GVS, the long vowels ''/i:/'' and ''/u:/'' gained counterparts they did not have before, restoring the balance in the vowel system. This attempt to achieve balance is thought to be one of the reasons for the start of the GVS. Along with other theories, like the '''pull-chain''' and the '''push-chain theories'''.
* The '''pull-chain''' theory suggests that the first to leave their positions were the higher vowels which then pulled the lower vowels to move too. The '''push-chain''' theory offers the opposite solution suggesting that the lower vowels were first to move and after they were raised, they pushed the higher vowels up from their previous positions.
[[File:The International Phonetic Alphabet (2015 version) (cropped) (only vowels).svg|left|thumb|263x263px|IPA diagram - place of pronunciation]]
The change of pronunciation during the GVS affected long [[Stressed vowels|'''stressed''' vowels]]. Therefore, ''“y”'' in ''“only”'' didn’t change pronunciation because it is not stressed. But the same vowel changes pronunciation in the word ''“my”'' because it is stressed.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Harvard's Geoffrey Chaucer Website|url=https://chaucer.fas.harvard.edu/pages/great-vowel-shift?fbclid=IwAR032vsv-McfYRbPtYg_-TjnFNDvOHtI9JMJrC3P0isvEtXECsmDcK80y60|access-date=01 February 2023}}</ref> The place of pronunciation in the [[mouth]] changes, it shifted so that is was pronounced in a higher place in the [[mouth]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Menzer|first=Melinda J.|title=The Great Vowel Shift|url=http://facweb.furman.edu/~mmenzer/gvs/what.htm|access-date=01 Feb 2023}}</ref>
==== How do we know? ====
It is important to note that distinguishing the [[Middle English]] [[pronunciation]] is just an approximation done by scholars because there aren’t any recordings of spoken language from that period.<ref name=":0" />
====== The following tables show the changes in vowel pronunciation on specific examples. ======
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! rowspan="2" |Word
! colspan="2" |Long vowel pronunciation
|-
|Late Middle English
(before the GVS)
|Modern English
(after the GVS)
|-
|bite
|/iː/
|/aɪ/
|-
|meet
|/eː/
| rowspan="3" |/iː/
|-
|meat
| rowspan="2" |/ɛː/
|-
|serene
|-
|mate
|/aː/
|/eɪ/
|-
|out
|/uː/
|/aʊ/
|-
|boot
|/oː/
|/uː/
|-
|boat
| rowspan="2" |/ɔː/
| rowspan="2" |/oʊ/
|-
|stone
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! rowspan="2" |Word
! colspan="3" |Short vowel pronunciation
|-
|Late Middle English
(before the GVS)
|Modern English
(after the GVS)
|
|-
|glad
| rowspan="2" |/a/
| rowspan="2" |/æ/
| rowspan="2" |
|-
|clap
|-
|call
| rowspan="2" |/a/
| rowspan="2" |/ɔː/
| rowspan="2" |when followed by "L"
|-
|also
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! rowspan="2" |Word
! colspan="2" |Diphtong pronunciation
|-
|Late Middle English
(before the GVS)
|Modern English
(after the GVS)
|-
|day
| rowspan="2" |/æj/
| rowspan="2" |/eɪ/
|-
|they
|-
|law
|/ɑw/
|/ɔː/
|-
|knew
|/ew/
| rowspan="2" |/juː/
|-
|dew
|/ɛw/
|-
|know
|/ɔw/
|/oʊ/
|}
== References ==
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