Every language changes over time. Due to historical, political and social events, like population shifts or movements, a language develops and becomes versatile, as intralinguistic variations emerge between different regions and dialects.
One of the most important changes in the English language, which appeared especially in the south of England during the 15th to 18th centuries, was a Chain Shift, the so-called Great Vowel Shift.[INT1] A Chain Shift is “a change in the position of two phonemes in which one moves away from an original position that is occupied by the other.”(Labov 1994: 118)
The linguist William Labov classifies three principles, which are applicable to all the Chain Shifts:
Principle I: long vowels rise (as in the Great Vowel Shift)
Principle II: short vowels fall
Principle IIa: the nuclei of upgliding diphthongs fall
Principle III: back vowels move to the front
(Labov 1994:116)
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 History and Causes of the Great Vowel Shift
3 Steps of the Great Vowel Shift
3.1 Step 1: /i:/ and /u:/ drop and become /əɪ/ and /əu/
3.2 Step 2: /e:/ and /o:/ move up, becoming /i:/ and /u:/
3.3 Step 3: /a:/ moves forward to /æ/ and raises to /ɛ:/
3.4 Step 4: /ɛ:/ moves to /e:/ and /ɔ:/ becomes /o:/
3.5 Step 5: /e:/ moves to /i:/
3.6 Step 6: /ɛ:/ moves to /e:/
3.7 Step 7: /əɪ/ and /əu/ drop to /aɪ/ and /aʊ/; /o:/ becomes /əʊ/
4 Exceptions and Irregularities
5 Conclusion
6 References
Objectives and Topics
This paper provides an analytical overview of the Great Vowel Shift, examining its historical context, the phonological progression of the shift in distinct steps, and the linguistic irregularities that characterize its development in the English language.
- Historical evolution of Middle English to Modern English phonology
- Mechanisms of Chain Shifts, specifically the Great Vowel Shift
- Step-by-step phonetic transition of long vowels
- Social and external factors influencing linguistic change
- Analysis of phonological exceptions and irregular vowel developments
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 Step 2: /e:/ and /o:/ move up, becoming /i:/ and /u:/
As /i:/ and /u:/ were diphtongised, their high vowel place became free. For that reason, the close-mid front vowel /e:/ and the close-mid back vowel /o:/ raised to /i:/ an /u:/ in order to fill the space. Consequently, Middle English words like meet ( /me:t/ ), speak ( /spe:k/) and see ( /se:/ ) transformed to /mi:t/, /spi:k/ and /si:/ . Referring to Middle English /o:/, loose ( /lo:s/ ) and moon ( /mo:n/ ) became /lu:s/ and /mu:n/ . According to Nevalainen, this raising proceeded parallel to the diphtongisation of Middle English /i:/ and /u:/ in the 15th century. Other theories assume, that one change caused the other. As a result, there are also different theories about which specific kind of Chain Shift the Great Vowel Shift was. If the diphtongisation happened first and ‘pulled’ the raising of /e:/ and /o:/ behind, it would be a ‘pull chain’. Otherwise, if /e:/ and /o:/ raised first, they would have ‘pushed’ /i:/ and /u:/ into their diphtongisation: that is called a ‘push chain’. (Nevalainen, 2006: 121)
This step of the Great Vowel Shift can also be found in John Hart’s “An Orthographie” : he uttered the words to and do with /u:/ , although they were pronounced /to:/ and /do:/ in Middle English. (Freeborn, 2006: 312) Some words spelt with
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the concept of the Great Vowel Shift as a historical linguistic chain shift and outlines the research scope.
2 History and Causes of the Great Vowel Shift: This section explores the historical and social factors, such as social mobility and standardisation, that may have triggered the shift.
3 Steps of the Great Vowel Shift: This chapter provides a detailed, step-by-step analysis of the phonetic transitions of long vowels from Middle to Modern English.
4 Exceptions and Irregularities: This section addresses specific cases where vowel development deviated from the general shift patterns, such as the bread-bred merger.
5 Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, highlighting the complexity and the speculative nature of determining the exact causes of the shift.
6 References: This chapter lists the scholarly literature and internet resources used to compile the research.
Keywords
Great Vowel Shift, Phonology, Middle English, Modern English, Chain Shift, Diphtongisation, Vowel Raising, William Labov, Historical Linguistics, Phonemic Change, Orthography, Bread-bred merger, Sociolinguistics, Language Standardisation, John Hart
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on the Great Vowel Shift, a major phonological transformation that occurred in the English language between the 15th and 18th centuries.
What are the central themes discussed?
The central themes include the mechanism of chain shifts, the historical development of English vowels, social influences on language change, and specific phonological irregularities.
What is the research goal of this work?
The goal is to provide a comprehensive overview of the history, development, and specific patterns of the Great Vowel Shift, along with an analysis of its exceptions.
Which methodology is used to analyze the shift?
The work employs a descriptive linguistic approach, analyzing phonological data and historical evidence from sources such as John Hart’s works and established linguistic theories.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section systematically details the seven steps of the vowel shift and discusses various exceptions and inconsistencies found in the data.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Great Vowel Shift, phonology, chain shift, diphtongisation, Middle English, and sociolinguistic factors.
How does the author define a "Chain Shift"?
Following William Labov, it is defined as a change in the position of two phonemes where one moves away from an original position occupied by another.
What is the significance of the "bread-bred merger"?
It is presented as an exception where vowel shortening occurred before coronal consonants, preventing the expected transition to a long /i:/ sound.
Why are the causes of the Great Vowel Shift considered speculative?
The author notes that while social mobility and prestige are plausible drivers, no scholar can definitively prove why the language underwent these specific changes.
What role did John Hart play in the analysis?
John Hart’s "An Orthographie" is used as a contemporary evidentiary source, demonstrating how spoken pronunciation was captured in written form during the shift period.
- Quote paper
- Victoria Tutschka (Author), 2009, Great Vowel Shift, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/139444
