The Sounds of Old English

How Do Linguists Know About Ancient Pronunciation? Looking at the alphabet—letter values do not change at random, should be somewhat similar as today, especially consonants. Vowels are a little tricky— they tend to change more.

Usually no strict rules in past Old English for spelling, so scribes probably wrote as they spoke—with evidence from language variation. Comparative reconstruction—working back from present known forms. Known sound changes, e.g., hit becoming it can easily happen as initial h dropped also in Modern English (I saw ’im) Poetic evidence—how poets use rhyme of alliteration.

Old English Texts No early manuscripts right after Anglo- Saxons arrived in Britain; only a few inscriptions in the Runic alphabet

With the coming of Christianity in 597, there was a need for manuscripts for religious purposes Materials start from about the year 700, mostly glossaries (lists) of Latin words Probably many texts were lost From about 850 on more religious texts, lives of saints, sermons, etc.

Secular literature, epic poetry, e.g. Beowulf Also works translated from Latin Texts remaining total about 3.5 million words

What did Old English Writing Look Like?

The Sound System Vowels very different from in Modern English Set of seven long and short vowels Two diphthongs with long and short varieties Many consonants much the same, some showed differences Much variation; sometimes scribes made mistakes

The Vowels Long VowelsShort Vowels āa –æ–æ æ ēe īi ōo ūu – y [ü] Long and Short Vowels Contrasted

Diphthongs LongShort ēaēaea ēoēoeo

Consonants—The Differences f, sVoiced (like v and z) between vowels and voiced sounds Voiceless (like f and s) elsewhere ð, þSymbols interchangeable Voiced between vowels and voiced sounds Voiceless elsewhere

cLike č before front vowels k elsewhere gLike y before front vowels g elsewhere hLike voiceless fricative [χ]

r was probably trilled Other consonants much like expected Contrast of short and long consonants scLike š (dish) cgLike (edge)

Prayer Our Father King James Version Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed by Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thine will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil.

Reading of Our FatherOur Father

Vowel Mutations Happened also in ancient times, e.g., goose/geese; mouse/mice; old/elder; man/men; blood/bleed In early Old English another vowel mutation, i-mutation (umlaut), probably in 7 th century but not too much later

When followed by a syllable with the high front vowel i, the vowel in a stressed syllable became front, e.g., *fotiz became fet, Modern English feet. Also provides evidence for when certain Latin words were borrowed into OE, e.g., Latin caseus in in OE cyse, so we know this word was already in OE in the 7 th century.