Great Vowel Shift Definition

The Great Vowel Shift is a fascinating phenomenon in the history of the English language, where the pronunciation of long vowels underwent significant changes from around the 15th century to the 17th century. The process was gradual and influenced by regional variations, resulting in a multitude of vowel pronunciations that are neither standard English nor Continental.

The story goes that one day, someone exclaimed, 'Fell right out of my sandwich, into the water!' Oh – that's terrible, how did it happen?' Little did they know, this incident was just a small part of the Great Vowel Shift. The regional variations led to different vowel pronunciations, as in the anecdote where 'īoy' in North-East England is pronounced differently.

Despite theories trying to explain why the shift occurred, none are likely to be testable without a time machine. What's more, the shift is still ongoing today, with many speakers attempting to move the topmost articulation points farther up, creating new diphthongs.

The impact of this phenomenon can be seen in everyday language. For example, the Anglo-Saxons lived in a 'hoose,' while we English speakers live in a 'house.' They milked a 'coo,' and we milk a 'cow.' The list goes on, with 'gode' becoming 'good' and 'feef' becoming 'five.'

So, what happened? Simply put, the articulation point moved upward in the mouth. Speakers of English gradually changed the parts of their mouth used to articulate long vowels. This process began around Chaucer's time (early 15th century) and continued through Shakespeare's era (early 17th century).

For non-native speakers, the Great Vowel Shift might be confusing, especially when confronted with languages like French, where the long 'i' is pronounced differently than in English. So, the next time someone asks why foreigners say their vowels wrong, we can smile knowingly and nod our heads at the intricate history of the English language.

Great vowel shift definition