Difference between revisions of "Template:English sound change examples"

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imported>Espreon
(Removed a couple of unneeded apostrophes; ", whereas" + additional sentence rather than keeping it wrapped up in parentheses)
imported>Kc kennylau
Line 3: Line 3:
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
|-
! !! one !! two !! three !! four !! five !! six !! seven !! mother !! heart !! hear
+
! !! one !! two !! three !! four !! five !! six !! seven !! mother !! heart !! hear !! foot !! feet
 
|-
 
|-
| '''Proto-Indo-European'''  || {{PIE|óynos}} || {{PIE|dúoH}} || {{PIE|tríh₂}} (fem.) || {{PIE|kʷetwṓr}} || {{PIE|pénkʷe}} || {{PIE|séḱs}} || {{PIE|septḿ̥}} || {{PIE|méh₂tēr}} || {{PIE|ḱḗr}} || {{PIE|h₂ḱowsyónom}}
+
| '''Proto-Indo-European'''  || {{PIE|óynos}} || {{PIE|dúoH}} || {{PIE|tríh₂}} (fem.) || {{PIE|kʷetwṓr}} || {{PIE|pénkʷe}} || {{PIE|séḱs}} || {{PIE|septḿ̥}} || {{PIE|méh₂tēr}} || {{PIE|ḱḗr}} || {{PIE|h₂ḱowsyónom}} || {{PIE|pṓds}} || {{PIE|pódes}}
 
|-
 
|-
| Pre-Germanic unexpected changes ||  || >! {{IPA|dwóy}} || >! {{IPA|tríh₂s}} || >! {{IPA|petwṓr}} || >! {{IPA|pémpe}} ||  || >! {{IPA|sepḿ̥d}} || >! {{IPA|meh₂tḗr}} || >! {{IPA|kérdō}} ||  
+
| Pre-Germanic unexpected changes ||  || >! {{IPA|dwóy}} || >! {{IPA|tríh₂s}} || >! {{IPA|petwṓr}} || >! {{IPA|pémpe}} ||  || >! {{IPA|sepḿ̥d}} || >! {{IPA|meh₂tḗr}} || >! {{IPA|kérdō}} || ||  || {{PIE|pṓdes}}
 
|-
 
|-
| Sonorant epenthesis ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || sepúmd ||  ||  ||  
+
| Sonorant epenthesis ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || sepúmd ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Final overlong vowels ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|kérdô}} ||  
+
| Final overlong vowels ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|kérdô}} ||  ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Laryngeal loss ||  ||  || {{IPA|trī́s}} ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|mātḗr}} ||  || {{IPA|kowsyónom}}
+
| Laryngeal loss ||  ||  || {{IPA|trī́s}} ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|mātḗr}} ||  || {{IPA|kowsyónom}} ||  ||
 
|-
 
|-
| Loss of final nonhigh vowels ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|pemp}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||
+
| Loss of final nonhigh vowels ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|pemp}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Grimm's Law ||  || {{IPA|twoi}} || {{IPA|þrī́s}} || {{IPA|feþwṓr}} || {{IPA|fémf}} || {{IPA|sehs}} || {{IPA|sefúmt}} || {{IPA|māþḗr}} || {{IPA|hértô}} || {{IPA|housjónom}}
+
| Grimm's Law ||  || {{IPA|twoi}} || {{IPA|þrī́s}} || {{IPA|feþwṓr}} || {{IPA|fémf}} || {{IPA|sehs}} || {{IPA|sefúmt}} || {{IPA|māþḗr}} || {{IPA|hértô}} || {{IPA|housjónom}} || {{IPA|fṓts}} || {{IPA|fṓtes}}
 
|-
 
|-
| Verner's Law || {{IPA|oinoz}} ||  || {{IPA|þrīz}} || {{IPA|feðwōr}} ||  ||  || {{IPA|seβumt}} || {{IPA|māðēr}} ||  || {{IPA|houzjonom}}
+
| Verner's Law || {{IPA|oinoz}} ||  || {{IPA|þrīz}} || {{IPA|feðwōr}} ||  ||  || {{IPA|seβumt}} || {{IPA|māðēr}} ||  || {{IPA|houzjonom}} ||  || {{IPA|fōtez}}
 
|-
 
|-
| o > a, ō > ā, ô > â || {{IPA|ainaz}} || {{IPA|twai}} ||  || {{IPA|feðwār}} ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hertâ}} || {{IPA|hauzjanam}}
+
| Unstressed syllables: owo > ō, ew > ow, e > i, ji > i || || || ||  || || ||  ||  ||  ||  || || {{IPA|fōtiz}}
 
|-
 
|-
| Final -m > -n ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || || || || || {{IPA|hauzjanan}}
+
| o > a, ō > ā, ô > â || {{IPA|ainaz}} || {{IPA|twai}} ||  || {{IPA|feðwār}} ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hertâ}} || {{IPA|hauzjanam}} || {{IPA|fāts}} || {{IPA|fātiz}}
 
|-
 
|-
| m > n before dental ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|seβunt}} ||  ||  ||
+
| Final -m > -n ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hauzjanan}} ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Final -n > nasalization ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hauzjaną}}
+
| m > n before dental ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|seβunt}} ||  ||  || ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Loss of final -t ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|seβun}} ||  ||  ||  
+
| Final -n > nasalization ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hauzjaną}} ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Sievers' Law ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hauzijaną}}
+
| Loss of final -t ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|seβun}} ||  ||  ||  || ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Nasal raising ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|fimf}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  
+
| Sievers' Law ||  ||  ||  ||  || || ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hauzijaną}} ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| ā > ō, â > ô ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|feðwōr}} ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|mōðēr}} || {{IPA|hertô}} ||  
+
| Nasal raising ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|fimf}} ||  ||  ||  || || || ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| '''Proto-Germanic form''' || {{IPA|ainaz}} || {{IPA|twai}} || {{IPA|þrīz}} || {{IPA|feðwōr}} || {{IPA|fimf}} || {{IPA|sehs}} || {{IPA|seβun}} || {{IPA|mōðēr}} || {{IPA|hertô}} || {{IPA|hauzijaną}}
+
| ā > ō, â > ô || || || || {{IPA|feðwōr}} || || || || {{IPA|mōðēr}} || {{IPA|hertô}} || || {{IPA|fōts}} || {{IPA|fōtiz}}
 
|-
 
|-
| Final vowel shortening/loss || {{IPA|ainz}}? || || {{IPA|þrīz}} || {{IPA|feðwur}} || || || || {{IPA|mōðar}} || {{IPA|hertō}} || {{IPA|hauzijan}}
+
| '''Proto-Germanic form''' || {{IPA|ainaz}} || {{IPA|twai}} || {{IPA|þrīz}} || {{IPA|feðwōr}} || {{IPA|fimf}} || {{IPA|sehs}} || {{IPA|seβun}} || {{IPA|mōðēr}} || {{IPA|hertô}} || {{IPA|hauzijaną}} || {{IPA|fōts}} || {{IPA|fōtiz}}
 
|-
 
|-
| Final -z loss || {{IPA|ain}} ||  || {{IPA|þrī}} ||  ||  ||  || || ||  ||  
+
| Final vowel shortening/loss || {{IPA|ainz}}? ||  || {{IPA|þrīz}} || {{IPA|feðwur}} ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|mōðar}} || {{IPA|hertō}} || {{IPA|hauzijan}} ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Rhotacism: z > r ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|haurijan}}
+
| Final -z loss || {{IPA|ain}} ||  || {{IPA|þrī}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|fōti}}
 
|-
 
|-
| Intervocalic ðw > ww ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|fewwur}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  
+
| Rhotacism: z > r ||  ||  ||  || || ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|haurijan}} ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Hardening: ð > d, β > v, f {{IPA|[ɸ]}} > {{IPA|[f]}} ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|finf}} ||  || {{IPA|sevun}} || {{IPA|mōdar}} ||  ||  
+
| Intervocalic ðw > ww ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|fewwur}} ||  || ||  ||  || || ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Morphological changes ||  ||  || >! {{IPA|þriju}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || >! {{IPA|herta}} ||  
+
| Hardening: ð > d, β > v, f {{IPA|[ɸ]}} > {{IPA|[f]}} ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|finf}} ||  || {{IPA|sevun}} || {{IPA|mōdar}} ||  ||  ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| '''West Germanic pre-form''' || {{IPA|ain}} || {{IPA|twai}} || {{IPA|þriju}} || {{IPA|fewwur}} || {{IPA|finf}} || {{IPA|sehs}} || {{IPA|sevun}} || {{IPA|mōdar}} || {{IPA|herta}} || {{IPA|haurijan}}
+
| Morphological changes || || || >! {{IPA|þriju}} || || || || || || >! {{IPA|herta}} || || > {{IPA|fōt}} ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Ingvaeonic (prespirant) nasal loss || || || || || {{IPA|fīf}} || || || || ||  
+
| '''West Germanic pre-form''' || {{IPA|ain}} || {{IPA|twai}} || {{IPA|þriju}} || {{IPA|fewwur}} || {{IPA|finf}} || {{IPA|sehs}} || {{IPA|sevun}} || {{IPA|mōdar}} || {{IPA|herta}} || {{IPA|haurijan}} || {{IPA|fōt}} || {{IPA|fōti}}
 
|-
 
|-
| ai > ā || {{IPA|ān}} || {{IPA|twā}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  
+
| Ingvaeonic (prespirant) nasal loss ||  || || || || {{IPA|fīf}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Anglo-Frisian brightening || ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hertæ}} || {{IPA|hæurijan}}
+
| ai > ā || {{IPA|ān}} || {{IPA|twā}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || || ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| I-mutation ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || || {{IPA|heyrijan}}
+
| Anglo-Frisian brightening  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hertæ}} || {{IPA|hæurijan}} ||  ||
 
|-
 
|-
| Loss of medial -ij- ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|heyran}}
+
| I-mutation ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|heyrijan}} ||  || {{IPA|fēti}}
 
|-
 
|-
| Breaking ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hĕŭrtæ}} ||  
+
| Loss of medial -ij- ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|heyran}} ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Diphthong height harmony ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|feowur}} ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hĕŏrtæ}} || {{IPA|hēran}}, {{IPA|hiyran}}
+
| Breaking ||  ||  ||  || ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hĕŭrtæ}} || ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Back mutation ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|sĕŏvun}} || ||  ||  
+
| Diphthong height harmony ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|feowur}} ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hĕŏrtæ}} || {{IPA|hēran}}, {{IPA|hiyran}} ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Final reduction ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|feowor}} ||  ||  || {{IPA|sĕŏvon}} || >! {{IPA|mōdor}} || {{IPA|hĕŏrte}} ||  
+
| Back mutation ||  ||  ||  || ||  ||  || {{IPA|sĕŏvun}} || ||  || || ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Raising: ehs eht > ihs iht ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|sihs}} || ||  ||  ||  
+
| Final reduction ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|feowor}} ||  ||  || {{IPA|sĕŏvon}} || >! {{IPA|mōdor}} || {{IPA|hĕŏrte}} ||  ||  || {{IPA|fēt}}
 
|-
 
|-
| hs > ks ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|siks}} ||  ||  ||  ||  
+
| Raising: ehs eht > ihs iht ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|sihs}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Late OE lowering: iu > eo ||  ||  || {{IPA|þreo}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  
+
| hs > ks ||  ||  || ||  ||  || {{IPA|siks}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| iy > ȳ ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hȳran}}
+
| Late OE lowering:  iu > eo ||  ||  || {{IPA|þreo}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| '''Late Old English spelling''' || ''ān'' || ''twā'' || ''þrēo'' || ''fēowor'' || ''fīf'' || ''six'' || ''seofon'' || ''mōdor'' || ''heorte'' || ''hēran, hȳran''
+
| iy > ȳ || || || || || || || || || || {{IPA|hȳran}} ||  ||
 
|-
 
|-
| Middle English (ME) smoothing || || || {{IPA|θrøː}} || {{IPA|føːwor}} || || || {{IPA|søvon}} || || {{IPA|hørte}} ||  
+
| '''Late Old English spelling''' || ''ān'' || ''twā'' || ''þrēo'' || ''fēowor'' || ''fīf'' || ''six'' || ''seofon'' || ''mōdor'' || ''heorte'' || ''hēran, hȳran'' || ''fōt'' || ''fēt''
 
|-
 
|-
| ME final reduction ||  ||  || || {{IPA|føːwǝr}} ||  ||  || {{IPA|søvǝn}} || {{IPA|moːdǝr}} || {{IPA|hørtǝ}} || {{IPA|heːrǝn}}
+
| Middle English (ME) smoothing ||  ||  || {{IPA|θrøː}} || {{IPA|føːwor}} ||  ||  || {{IPA|søvon}} ||  || {{IPA|hørte}} || || ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| ME a: æ: > ɔ: ɛ: || {{IPA|ɔːn}} || {{IPA|twɔː}} || || || || ||  ||  ||  ||  
+
| ME final reduction ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|føːwǝr}} ||  ||  || {{IPA|søvǝn}} || {{IPA|moːdǝr}} || {{IPA|hørtǝ}} || {{IPA|heːrǝn}} ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| {{IPA|-dǝr}} > {{IPA|-ðǝr}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|moːðǝr}} ||  ||  
+
| ME a: æ: > ɔ: ɛ: || {{IPA|ɔːn}} || {{IPA|twɔː}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| ME unexpected (?) vowel changes ||  ||  ||  ||  || >! {{IPA|fiːv-ǝ}} ||  ||  ||  || || >! {{IPA|hɛːrǝn}}
+
| {{IPA|-dǝr}} > {{IPA|-ðǝr}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|moːðǝr}} ||  ||  ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| ME diphthong changes ||  ||  ||  || >! {{IPA|fowǝr}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  
+
| ME unexpected (?) vowel changes ||  ||  ||  ||  || >! {{IPA|fiːv-ǝ}} ||  ||  ||  ||  || >! {{IPA|hɛːrǝn}} ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Late ME unrounding ||  ||  || {{IPA|θreː}} ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|sevǝn}} ||  || {{IPA|hertǝ}} ||  
+
| ME diphthong changes ||  ||  || || >! {{IPA|fowǝr}} ||  ||  ||  || || ||  || ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| '''Late Middle English spelling''' (c. 1350) || ''oon'' || ''two'' || ''three'' || ''fower'' || ''five'' || ''six'' || ''seven'' || ''mother'' || ''herte'' || ''heere(n)''
+
| Late ME unrounding || || || {{IPA|θreː}} || || || || {{IPA|sevǝn}} || || {{IPA|hertǝ}} ||  ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Late ME final reduction (late 1300s) || || || || >! {{IPA|fowr}} || {{IPA|fiːv}} || || || || {{IPA|hert}} || {{IPA|hɛːr}}
+
| '''Late Middle English spelling''' (c. 1350) || ''oon'' || ''two'' || ''three'' || ''fower'' || ''five'' || ''six'' || ''seven'' || ''mother'' || ''herte'' || ''heere(n)'' || ''foot'' || ''feet''
 
|-
 
|-
| Late ME /er/ > /ar/ (1400s)<ref>{{citation|last=Dobson |first=E.J. |year=1957 |title=English Pronunciation 1500–1700 |place=London |publisher=Oxford University Press |p=558}}</ref> || |||  ||  ||  || ||  ||  || {{IPA|hart}} ||  
+
| Late ME final reduction (late 1300s) || ||  || || >! {{IPA|fowr}} || {{IPA|fiːv}} ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|hert}} || {{IPA|hɛːr}} ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Late ME Great Vowel Shift (c. 1400-1550) || {{IPA|oːn}} >! {{IPA|wʊn}} || {{IPA|twoː}} || {{IPA|θriː}} ||  || {{IPA|fǝiv}} ||  ||  || {{IPA|muːðǝr}} ||  || {{IPA|heːr}}
+
| Late ME /er/ > /ar/ (1400s)<ref>{{citation|last=Dobson |first=E.J. |year=1957 |title=English Pronunciation 1500–1700 |place=London |publisher=Oxford University Press |p=558}}</ref> ||| || || ||  || ||  ||  || {{IPA|hart}} ||  || ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Early Modern English (EModE) smoothing || || ||  || {{IPA|foːr}} ||  ||  ||  || || ||  
+
| Late ME Great Vowel Shift (c. 1400-1550) || {{IPA|oːn}} >! {{IPA|wʊn}} || {{IPA|twoː}} || {{IPA|θriː}} ||  || {{IPA|fǝiv}} ||  ||  || {{IPA|muːðǝr}} ||  || {{IPA|heːr}} || {{IPA|fuːt}} || {{IPA|fiːt}}
 
|-
 
|-
| EModE raising /woː/ > /wuː/ > /uː/<ref>{{citation|last=Dobson |first=E.J. |year=1957 |title=English Pronunciation 1500–1700 |place=London |publisher=Oxford University Press |pp=677–678}}</ref> ||  || {{IPA|tuː}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  
+
| Early Modern English (EModE) smoothing || || ||  || {{IPA|foːr}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| EModE shortening ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|mʊðǝr}} ||  ||  
+
| EModE raising /woː/ > /wuː/ > /uː/<ref>{{citation|last=Dobson |first=E.J. |year=1957 |title=English Pronunciation 1500–1700 |place=London |publisher=Oxford University Press |pp=677–678}}</ref> ||  || {{IPA|tuː}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || || ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| EModE /ʊ/ > /ʌ/ || {{IPA|wʌn}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|mʌðǝr}} ||  ||  
+
| EModE shortening || ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|mʊðǝr}} ||  ||  ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Later vowel shifts ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|fɔːr}} || {{IPA|faiv}} || {{IPA|sɪks}} ||  ||  || {{IPA|hɑrt}} || {{IPA|hiːr}}
+
| EModE /ʊ/ > /ʌ/ || {{IPA|wʌn}} ||  ||  ||  || || || || {{IPA|mʌðǝr}} ||  ||  || ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| Loss of -r (regional) ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|fɔː}} ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|mʌðǝ}} || {{IPA|hɑːt}} || {{IPA|hiǝ}}
+
| EModE shortening ||  ||  ||  || || ||  ||  ||  || || || {{IPA|fʊt}} ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| '''Modern pronunciation''' || {{IPA|wʌn}} || {{IPA|tuː}} || {{IPA|θriː}} || {{IPA|fɔː(r)}} || {{IPA|faiv}} || {{IPA|sɪks}} || {{IPA|sevǝn}} || {{IPA|mʌðǝ(r)}} || {{IPA|hɑrt}}/{{IPA|hɑːt}} || {{IPA|hiːr/hiǝ}}
+
| Later vowel shifts || || || || {{IPA|fɔːr}} || {{IPA|faiv}} || {{IPA|sɪks}} || || || {{IPA|hɑrt}} || {{IPA|hiːr}} || ||  
 
|-
 
|-
! !! one !! two !! three !! four !! five !! six !! seven !! mother !! heart !! hear
+
| Loss of -r (regional) ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|fɔː}} ||  ||  ||  || {{IPA|mʌðǝ}} || {{IPA|hɑːt}} || {{IPA|hiǝ}} ||  ||
 +
|-
 +
| '''Modern pronunciation''' || {{IPA|wʌn}} || {{IPA|tuː}} || {{IPA|θriː}} || {{IPA|fɔː(r)}} || {{IPA|faiv}} || {{IPA|sɪks}} || {{IPA|sevǝn}} || {{IPA|mʌðǝ(r)}} || {{IPA|hɑrt}}/{{IPA|hɑːt}} || {{IPA|hiːr/hiǝ}} || {{IPA|fʊt}} || {{IPA|fiːt}}
 +
|-
 +
! !! one !! two !! three !! four !! five !! six !! seven !! mother !! heart !! hear !! foot !! feet
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}

Revision as of 16:53, 7 April 2017

The following table shows a possible sequence of changes for some basic vocabulary items, leading from Proto-Indo-European (PIE) to Modern English. The notation ">!" indicates an unexpected change, whereas the simple notation ">" indicates an expected change. An empty cell means no change at the given stage for the given item. Only sound changes that had an effect on one or more of the vocabulary items are shown.

one two three four five six seven mother heart hear foot feet
Proto-Indo-European Template:PIE Template:PIE Template:PIE (fem.) Template:PIE Template:PIE Template:PIE Template:PIE Template:PIE Template:PIE Template:PIE Template:PIE Template:PIE
Pre-Germanic unexpected changes >! dwóy >! tríh₂s >! petwṓr >! pémpe >! sepḿ̥d >! meh₂tḗr >! kérdō Template:PIE
Sonorant epenthesis sepúmd
Final overlong vowels kérdô
Laryngeal loss trī́s mātḗr kowsyónom
Loss of final nonhigh vowels pemp
Grimm's Law twoi þrī́s feþwṓr fémf sehs sefúmt māþḗr hértô housjónom fṓts fṓtes
Verner's Law oinoz þrīz feðwōr seβumt māðēr houzjonom fōtez
Unstressed syllables: owo > ō, ew > ow, e > i, ji > i fōtiz
o > a, ō > ā, ô > â ainaz twai feðwār hertâ hauzjanam fāts fātiz
Final -m > -n hauzjanan
m > n before dental seβunt
Final -n > nasalization hauzjaną
Loss of final -t seβun
Sievers' Law hauzijaną
Nasal raising fimf
ā > ō, â > ô feðwōr mōðēr hertô fōts fōtiz
Proto-Germanic form ainaz twai þrīz feðwōr fimf sehs seβun mōðēr hertô hauzijaną fōts fōtiz
Final vowel shortening/loss ainz? þrīz feðwur mōðar hertō hauzijan
Final -z loss ain þrī fōti
Rhotacism: z > r haurijan
Intervocalic ðw > ww fewwur
Hardening: ð > d, β > v, f [ɸ] > [f] finf sevun mōdar
Morphological changes >! þriju >! herta > fōt
West Germanic pre-form ain twai þriju fewwur finf sehs sevun mōdar herta haurijan fōt fōti
Ingvaeonic (prespirant) nasal loss fīf
ai > ā ān twā
Anglo-Frisian brightening hertæ hæurijan
I-mutation heyrijan fēti
Loss of medial -ij- heyran
Breaking hĕŭrtæ
Diphthong height harmony feowur hĕŏrtæ hēran, hiyran
Back mutation sĕŏvun
Final reduction feowor sĕŏvon >! mōdor hĕŏrte fēt
Raising: ehs eht > ihs iht sihs
hs > ks siks
Late OE lowering: iu > eo þreo
iy > ȳ hȳran
Late Old English spelling ān twā þrēo fēowor fīf six seofon mōdor heorte hēran, hȳran fōt fēt
Middle English (ME) smoothing θrøː føːwor søvon hørte
ME final reduction føːwǝr søvǝn moːdǝr hørtǝ heːrǝn
ME a: æ: > ɔ: ɛ: ɔːn twɔː
-dǝr > -ðǝr moːðǝr
ME unexpected (?) vowel changes >! fiːv-ǝ >! hɛːrǝn
ME diphthong changes >! fowǝr
Late ME unrounding θreː sevǝn hertǝ
Late Middle English spelling (c. 1350) oon two three fower five six seven mother herte heere(n) foot feet
Late ME final reduction (late 1300s) >! fowr fiːv hert hɛːr
Late ME /er/ > /ar/ (1400s)[1] hart
Late ME Great Vowel Shift (c. 1400-1550) oːn >! wʊn twoː θriː fǝiv muːðǝr heːr fuːt fiːt
Early Modern English (EModE) smoothing foːr
EModE raising /woː/ > /wuː/ > /uː/[2] tuː
EModE shortening mʊðǝr
EModE /ʊ/ > /ʌ/ wʌn mʌðǝr
EModE shortening fʊt
Later vowel shifts fɔːr faiv sɪks hɑrt hiːr
Loss of -r (regional) fɔː mʌðǝ hɑːt hiǝ
Modern pronunciation wʌn tuː θriː fɔː(r) faiv sɪks sevǝn mʌðǝ(r) hɑrt/hɑːt hiːr/hiǝ fʊt fiːt
one two three four five six seven mother heart hear foot feet

NOTE: Some of the changes listed above as "unexpected" are more predictable than others. For example:

  • Some changes are morphological ones that move a word from a rare declension to a more common one, and hence are not so surprising: e.g. *þrī "three" >! *þriu (adding the common West Germanic feminine ending -u) and *Template:PIE "heart" (stem *Template:PIE) >! *Template:PIE (change from consonant stem to n-stem).
  • Some changes are assimilations that are unexpected but of a cross-linguistically common type, e.g. føːwǝr "four" >! fowǝr where **fewǝr would be expected by normal sound change. Assimilations involving adjacent numbers are especially common, e.g. *Template:PIE "four" >! *Template:PIE by assimilation to *Template:PIE "five" (in addition, /kʷ/ > /p/ is a cross-linguistically common sound change in general).
  • On the other extreme, the Early Modern English change of oːn "one" >! wʊn is almost completely mysterious. Note that the related words alone ( < all + one) and only ( < one + -ly) did not change.

References

  1. Dobson, E.J. (1957), English Pronunciation 1500–1700, London: Oxford University Press, p. 558
  2. Dobson, E.J. (1957), English Pronunciation 1500–1700, London: Oxford University Press, pp. 677–678