Гос филология / Гос филология / 38. Phonetic changes in New English
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Phonetic changes in New English
Unstressed vowels
In ME in unstressed positions there were two vowels [ə], [i]. The mark [ə] is dropped. [ə] started disappearing even in later ME. Though it continued to be spelled like [ə].
The loss of [ə] started in the NE and reached the southern areas by the 15th century. In Chaucers time it was unstable and could be easily missed out before a following vowel or even in account of rhythm. The final [ə] was added to the word , in other cases [ə] was added for the purpose of showing the length of the preceding vowel
OE talu > ME tale [tələ] > NE tale [teil]
Rād > rode [ro:d] > rode [r3Ud]
Hūs > house [hu:s] > house [h3Us]
Stressed vowels
Qualitative Changes:
1) the Great Vowel Shift
2) Vocalization of [v]
3) Formation of new short phonemes.
Quantitative changes:
1) Shortening
2) Lengthening