The Great Vowel Shift terms the change of sounds of long vowels in the English language within the period from 1400 to 1700. This period can also be referred to as the change from Middle English, hereafter ME, to Early Modern English, hereafter EModE. This paper investigates the very basic and commonly agreed on changes of the vowel system from ME to EModE. Additionally, works of Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare who serve as representatives for each period are being examined in order to proof the previously stated sound changes by means of English literature.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Great Vowel Shift: features and changes
3.1 Middle English vowel pronunciation
3.2 Early Modern English vowel pronunciation
4. Vowels in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the fundamental phonological transitions within the English vowel system during the critical period of 1400 to 1700, marking the shift from Middle English to Early Modern English. By analyzing linguistic theories regarding the Great Vowel Shift and applying them to literary works by Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare, the research aims to provide a clear, evidence-based demonstration of how long vowel pronunciations evolved over time.
- Theoretical frameworks of the Great Vowel Shift (push vs. drag chain theories).
- Phonological characteristics of Middle English vowel systems.
- Linguistic evolution of vowel pronunciation in Early Modern English.
- Comparative analysis of vowel shifts using primary texts from Chaucer and Shakespeare.
- The impact of vowel lengthening, shortening, and mergers on modern English pronunciation.
Excerpt from the Book
4. Vowels in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
The following word samples are taken from Geoffrey Chaucer’s „The Canterbury Tales” and compared to later versions of the respective words found in various works of Shakespeare:
[o:] → [u:]. The oo in soote and roote (The Canterbury Tales, ll.1,2) is pronounced [o:] by the time of Chaucer and by the time of Shakespeare raised to [u:] as in EModE root. This is one of the main changes during the GVS and referred to as the first raising shift by Kiparsky (1995: 23).
[e:] → [i:]. The change from ME [e:] to EModE [i:] falls into the same category and can be found in the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales (ll. 5,6) with the words breeth and heeth, pronounced [e:] which in EmodE became breathe and heath, pronounced [i:].
[i:] → [əɪ]. The already existing ME front high [i:] sound as in melodye and ye or eye (The Canterbury Tales, ll. 9, 10) diphthongizes to [əɪ] and so in EModE the sounds rhymes with “advisedly” (Shakespeare, Rape of Lucrece, l. 710), as well as with „die” (ib., l. 325).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Defines the scope of the Great Vowel Shift between 1400 and 1700 and introduces the authors Chaucer and Shakespeare as primary subjects for analysis.
2. The Great Vowel Shift: features and changes: Explores key linguistic theories, specifically the push chain and drag chain models, while outlining the three stages of the vowel shift.
3.1 Middle English vowel pronunciation: Details the phonological system of Middle English, focusing on the "continental value" of vowels and the use of rhyming verse to reconstruct pronunciation.
3.2 Early Modern English vowel pronunciation: Describes the vowel system during the Shakespearean era and analyzes the emergence of various diphthongs resulting from the Great Vowel Shift.
4. Vowels in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales: Provides practical application of the theoretical shift by comparing specific word pronunciations in Chaucer's texts with their later realizations in Shakespeare’s works.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the transformation of long vowels and explains how mergers and shifts account for many inconsistencies in modern English spelling and pronunciation.
Keywords
Great Vowel Shift, Middle English, Early Modern English, Phonology, Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, Vowel Pronunciation, Diphthongization, Tensing Shift, Push Chain Theory, Drag Chain Theory, Rhyming Verse, Linguistic Evolution, Sound Change, Historical Linguistics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
This paper explores the historical phonological changes in the English language known as the Great Vowel Shift, focusing on the period between 1400 and 1700.
Which time periods does the research bridge?
The research bridges the transition from the Middle English period to the Early Modern English period.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to demonstrate and verify the commonly accepted changes in the English vowel system by applying linguistic theory to literary evidence from Chaucer and Shakespeare.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The paper utilizes a combination of theoretical linguistic frameworks (such as push/drag chain theories) and comparative literary analysis of rhyming verse.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body covers the theoretical mechanisms of the Great Vowel Shift, the specific vowel characteristics of Middle English versus Early Modern English, and a practical comparative study of word samples.
Which terms characterize this work best?
Key terms include historical linguistics, phonology, the Great Vowel Shift, vowel pronunciation, and linguistic evolution.
How does the author verify the sound changes?
The author verifies sound changes by analyzing rhymes in original texts, noting how words that rhymed for Chaucer often changed pronunciation by Shakespeare's time.
What is the significance of the "merger" discussed in the conclusion?
The merger explains why many words in modern English share similar vowel sounds despite having different historical roots and spellings.
How did Chaucer's pronunciation differ from modern standards?
Chaucer's vowels still held "continental values," where, for example, 'a' sounded like 'father' rather than the 'a' in 'name'.
What role does Shakespeare play in the analysis?
Shakespeare serves as the linguistic representative for the Early Modern English period, allowing the author to contrast post-shift pronunciations with those of the Middle English era.
- Quote paper
- Lucia Maea (Author), 2018, The Great Vowel Shift from Chaucer to Shakespeare. Changes in vowel pronunciation in English poetry from the Middle English to Early Modern English period, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/459039
