The general characteristics of language system. ME phonetics, the basic phonetic changes. Changes in spelling. New sounds in ME.

Pidgin Pidgin Creole Creole Lingua franca Lingua franca

Great changes in all aspects and layers of the language. Great changes in all aspects and layers of the language. Most of them are caused by extralinguistic factors Most of them are caused by extralinguistic factors

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

ME Unstable period in: spelling, pronunciation, vocabulary (growth of variants). Unstable period in: spelling, pronunciation, vocabulary (growth of variants). Loss of flexions in grammar, fixed word order, loss of some categories on the one hand and development of new forms (analytical) on the other. Loss of flexions in grammar, fixed word order, loss of some categories on the one hand and development of new forms (analytical) on the other.

Changes in spelling French scribes were the chief copyists(12-13 th c.) French scribes were the chief copyists(12-13 th c.) Old English spelling, especially some specific A-S letters not used on the continent, caused difficulties Old English spelling, especially some specific A-S letters not used on the continent, caused difficulties Result: confusion in spelling Result: confusion in spelling French scribes introduced some of their own Continental methods of spelling French scribes introduced some of their own Continental methods of spelling

Changes in spelling No standard or common literary dialect (as in late OE) No standard or common literary dialect (as in late OE) Latin was used for learned work Latin was used for learned work Norman French - for official life and aristocratic entertainment Norman French - for official life and aristocratic entertainment English existed only as a set of spoken dialects English existed only as a set of spoken dialects

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

New spelling conventions Several consonant sounds came to be spelled differently, especially because of French influence Several consonant sounds came to be spelled differently, especially because of French influence OE sc [ ʃ ] – ME sh or sch (scip - ship) OE sc [ ʃ ] – ME sh or sch (scip - ship) OE c [t ʃ ] – ME ch or cch (cīld - chīld) OE c [t ʃ ] – ME ch or cch (cīld - chīld) OE cg/gg [d Ʒ ] – ME dg (brigge - bridge) OE cg/gg [d Ʒ ] – ME dg (brigge - bridge)

New spelling conventions long vowel sounds came to be marked with an extra vowel letter long vowel sounds came to be marked with an extra vowel letter OE sē, bōc – ME see, booc OE sē, bōc – ME see, booc

New spelling conventions OEƷ was spelt as g in most of the cases OEƷ was spelt as g in most of the cases þ – ME th þ – ME th OE ƿ – ME w, uu OE ƿ – ME w, uu

New spelling conventions OE bysig – ME busy OE bysig – ME busy The OE letter ‘y’ came to denote sounds [I, j] ME his/hys The OE letter ‘y’ came to denote sounds [I, j] ME his/hys OE cēpan – ME keepen OE cēpan – ME keepen

New spelling conventions OE cw (cwēn)– ME qu (queen) OE cw (cwēn)– ME qu (queen) OE h – ME gh (night) OE h – ME gh (night) OE u – ME ou (hus – house [hu:s] ) OE u – ME ou (hus – house [hu:s] )

Because the letter ‘u’ was written in a very similar way to ‘v’, ‘n’, and ‘m’, words containing a sequence of these letters were difficult to read Because the letter ‘u’ was written in a very similar way to ‘v’, ‘n’, and ‘m’, words containing a sequence of these letters were difficult to read So the ‘u’ was often replaced with an ‘o’ (come, love, son) So the ‘u’ was often replaced with an ‘o’ (come, love, son)

One pair of letters came to be used in complementary ways: v at the beginning of a word (vnder), u in the middle (haue) One pair of letters came to be used in complementary ways: v at the beginning of a word (vnder), u in the middle (haue) f/v, s/z were used to distinguish pairs of words in ME f/v, s/z were used to distinguish pairs of words in ME

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

Unstressed vowels / ǝ / and /i/ / ǝ / and /i/ OE fiscas – ME fishes OE fiscas – ME fishes OE talu – ME tale OE talu – ME tale OE stān – ME stone OE stān – ME stone

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

Diphthongs Diphthongs OE ēō – ME ē (dēōp - deep) OE ēō – ME ē (dēōp - deep) New Diphthongs: [j] and [w], their second element was either [i] (the letters i, y) or [u] (the letter w) New Diphthongs: [j] and [w], their second element was either [i] (the letters i, y) or [u] (the letter w) OE we Ʒ - ME wey [ei] OE we Ʒ - ME wey [ei] OE cn āwan – ME knowen [knouen] [ou ] OE cn āwan – ME knowen [knouen] [ou ]

Consonants OE [ ɣ ] (the letter Ʒ ) – ME [w] (dragan – drawen) OE [ ɣ ] (the letter Ʒ ) – ME [w] (dragan – drawen) Vocalization of [j] and [w] after vowels Vocalization of [j] and [w] after vowels [j] – [i] (the letters i, y) OE se Ʒ l – ME seil [j] – [i] (the letters i, y) OE se Ʒ l – ME seil [w] – [u] (the letters w, u) [w] – [u] (the letters w, u) OE sn āw – ME sn ōu OE sn āw – ME sn ōu

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