4.2.2.2. Shortening of Long Vowels

There were two shortenings of long vowels: the first took place in the XVI –XII c., the second one – in the XVIII c.

The first shortening:

The long sound [ ] was shortened before [d], [t], [θ] in its [ē] stage (ę > ē >e) and did not develop into [i:] on the pattern of the Great Vowel Shift, e.g.

bread: ME [br d] – NE [bred]; sweat: ME [sw t] – NE [swet]; breath: ME [br θ] – NE [breθ]

Note 1. The digraph ea shows that the vowel [e] before the vowel shift was [ ]

Note 2. The long vowel [ū] was shortened before [d], [θ], e.g.

mother [΄mūðə] > [΄muðə].

In the XVII c. short [u] was delabialized and developed into a new sound [л] [΄mлðə]

The second shortening:

Long [ū] was shortened before [k], [d], [t], e.g.

ME book [būk] > NE [buk], ME foot [fūt] > NE [fut], ME good [gūd] > NE [gud].

4.2.2.3. Development of Short Vowels

In the XVI c. ME [a] normally changed into NE [æ], e.g.

ME that [θat] > NE [ðæt] (OE þæt), ME man [man] > NE [mæn].

As [æ] was an allophone or variant of [a] with the same spelling form it was merely a replacement of one dominant allophone by another OE æ > ME a > NE æ (the so called «shuttle» development).

After [w] the development of [a] was different. It was rounded and coincided with [ɔ] < ME [o], e.g. was, want, what, quantity.

Note. The influence of w was neutralized by a following guttural, e.g.

wax [wæks], wag [wæg].

ME [o] was delabialized in Early NE and sounded [a], like in Russian or French. Cf.

E frock, Fr frac, R фрак

Later on, the rounding was partly restored in English, though it is still less rounded than, for instance, in Russian or Ukranian [o]. Cf

E pot – R пот

Note. In the United States the vowel [ɔ] in the words pot, not, etc. is not labialized in most regions.

4.2.2.4. The Development of the New Short [л]

Short [u] was delabialized in the XVII c. It developed into a new sound [л], as in cup, son, sun, up. Cf. OE cuman > ME comen [kumən] > NE come [kлm]

A preceding labial or labiodental usually prevented the delabialization of [u], as in English full, pull, bull. Cf. OE putian > ME puten > NE put.

Still, sometimes delabialization took place even after a labial, as in bug, bulb, etc.

4.2.2.5. Changes in Diphthongs

1. The ME diphthongs [ai] and [ei] were gradually leveled under one sound [ei]; the spelling was mostly ay or ai. Cf.

ME day [dai] > NE day [dei], ME wey [wei] > NE way [wei], ME seil [seil] > NE sail [seil]

2. ME [au] was monophthongized and became [ɔ:]

ME paw [pau] > NE paw [pɔ:], ME law(e) [lau] > NE law [lɔ:], ME cause [kauz] > NE cause [kɔ:z], ME pause [΄pauzə] > pause [pɔ:z]

3. ME [eu] > [iu], which soon became [ju:], as in new, dew, view.

The sound [ü] in French loan-words was usually replaced by the diphthong [iu], later [ju:].

This is the reason why the letter u is called [ju:], the letter q – [kju:], the word «due» is pronounced [dju:]

Note. After [r, l, ʤ, t] the first element is often lost in NE, e.g. rule, crew, blue, jury, chew.