The general characteristics of The general characteristics of language system. language system.

ME phonetics, the basic ME phonetics, the basic phonetic changes. phonetic changes.

Changes in spelling. New Changes in spelling. New sounds in ME. sounds in ME.

Pidgin Pidgin CreoleCreole Lingua francaLingua franca

Great changes in all aspects and Great changes in all aspects and layers of the language.layers of the language.

Most of them are caused by Most of them are caused by extralinguistic factorsextralinguistic factors

OE ‘OE ‘fiscfisc’ – ME ’ – ME fysh, fissh, fisch, fysh, fissh, fisch, fish fish

MEME

Unstable period in: spelling, Unstable period in: spelling, pronunciation, vocabulary pronunciation, vocabulary (growth of variants).(growth of variants).

Loss of flexions in grammar, fixed Loss of flexions in grammar, fixed word order, loss of some word order, loss of some categories on the one hand and categories on the one hand and development of new forms development of new forms (analytical) on the other. (analytical) on the other.

Changes in spellingChanges in spelling French scribes were the chief French scribes were the chief

copyists(12-13copyists(12-13thth c.) c.) Old English spelling, especially some Old English spelling, especially some

specific A-S letters not used on the specific A-S letters not used on the continent, caused difficultiescontinent, caused difficulties

Result: confusion in spellingResult: confusion in spelling French scribes introduced some of their French scribes introduced some of their

own Continental methods of spellingown Continental methods of spelling

Changes in spellingChanges in spelling No standard or common literary No standard or common literary

dialect (as in late OE)dialect (as in late OE) Latin was used for learned workLatin was used for learned work Norman French - for official life and Norman French - for official life and

aristocratic entertainmentaristocratic entertainment English existed only as a set of English existed only as a set of

spoken dialectsspoken dialects

The literary English we know The literary English we know emerged from the London dialect emerged from the London dialect which became a widespread medium which became a widespread medium of written expression at the end of of written expression at the end of the 14the 14thth century. century.

New spelling conventionsNew spelling conventions

Several consonant sounds came to Several consonant sounds came to be spelled differently, especially be spelled differently, especially because of French influencebecause of French influence

OE OE scsc [ [ ʃ ʃ ] – ME ] – ME shsh or or sch (scip - ship)sch (scip - ship) OE OE c c [t[tʃʃ] – ME ] – ME chch or or cch (ccch (cīld - chīldīld - chīld)) OE OE cg/ggcg/gg [d [dƷƷ] – ME ] – ME dg (brigge - dg (brigge -

bridge)bridge)

New spelling conventionsNew spelling conventions long vowel sounds came to be long vowel sounds came to be

marked with an extra vowel marked with an extra vowel letterletter

OE sOE sē, bē, bōc – ME see, boocōc – ME see, booc

New spelling conventionsNew spelling conventions OEOEƷ Ʒ was spelt as was spelt as g g in most of in most of

the casesthe cases þþ – ME – ME thth OE OE ƿ – ƿ – ME ME w, uu w, uu

New spelling conventionsNew spelling conventions OE bysig – ME busyOE bysig – ME busy The OE letter ‘y’ came to denote The OE letter ‘y’ came to denote

sounds [I, j] ME his/hyssounds [I, j] ME his/hys OE cOE cēēpan – ME keepenpan – ME keepen

New spelling conventionsNew spelling conventions OE OE cwcw (cw (cwēēn)– ME n)– ME ququ (queen) (queen) OE OE hh – ME – ME ghgh (night) (night) OE OE uu – ME – ME ou (hus – house ou (hus – house [hu:s][hu:s] ))

Because the letter ‘u’ was written in Because the letter ‘u’ was written in a very similar way to ‘v’, ‘n’, and ‘m’, a very similar way to ‘v’, ‘n’, and ‘m’, words containing a sequence of words containing a sequence of these letters were difficult to readthese letters were difficult to read

So the ‘u’ was often replaced with an So the ‘u’ was often replaced with an ‘o’ (come, love, son)‘o’ (come, love, son)

One pair of letters came to be used One pair of letters came to be used in complementary ways: in complementary ways: vv at the at the beginning of a word (beginning of a word (vndervnder), ), uu in the in the middle (middle (hauehaue) )

f/v, s/zf/v, s/z were used to distinguish pairs were used to distinguish pairs of words in MEof words in ME

By the beginning of the 15By the beginning of the 15thth century, century, English spelling was a mixture of two English spelling was a mixture of two systems, Old English and French.systems, Old English and French.

Unstressed vowelsUnstressed vowels

//ǝ/ and /i/ ǝ/ and /i/ OE fiscas – ME fishOE fiscas – ME fisheess OE talu – ME taleOE talu – ME tale

OE stān – ME stoneOE stān – ME stone

Stressed vowelsStressed vowels

OE [OE [ā] – ME [ā] – ME [ō] (rād - rōd)ō] (rād - rōd) OE [OE [ǣ]ǣ] – ME [ – ME [ē] (mǣl - meel)ē] (mǣl - meel) OE [OE [æ]æ]– ME [– ME [a] (a] (æt - atæt - at)) OE y,OE y,ӯӯ [ü] [ü] – ME – ME i, i, ī ī ( (hyll - hillhyll - hill))

DiphthongsDiphthongs OE ēō – ME ē (dēōp - deep)OE ēō – ME ē (dēōp - deep) New Diphthongs: New Diphthongs: [j] and [w], their [j] and [w], their

second element was either [i] (the second element was either [i] (the letters i, y) or [u] (the letter w)letters i, y) or [u] (the letter w)

OE weOE weƷƷ- ME wey [ei]- ME wey [ei] OE cnOE cnāwan – ME knowen [knouen] āwan – ME knowen [knouen]

[ou[ou]]

ConsonantsConsonants OE [OE [ɣɣ] (the letter] (the letterƷƷ) – ME [w] (dragan ) – ME [w] (dragan

– drawen)– drawen) Vocalization of [j] and [w] after Vocalization of [j] and [w] after

vowelsvowels [j] – [i] (the letters i, y) OE seƷl – ME [j] – [i] (the letters i, y) OE seƷl – ME

seilseil [w] – [u] (the letters w, u) [w] – [u] (the letters w, u) OE snOE snāw – ME snāw – ME snōuōu

The principal changes in The principal changes in ME grammar.ME grammar. Changes in noun Changes in noun declension and in declension and in adjective and pronoun adjective and pronoun systems. systems. The rise of the article.The rise of the article.