Phonological Change

Phonological change — change in the sound system of a language — is often less immediately visible than lexical or grammatical change because it operates below the level of conscious awareness. Speakers do not decide to change their pronunciation; sound changes spread through communities gradually, often over generations. Yet phonological change has profoundly shaped the English language, from the Great Vowel Shift that separated Middle from Modern English to the contemporary sound changes reshaping British accents today. This lesson examines the key phonological changes in the history of English and the sociolinguistic factors that drive them.

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The Great Vowel Shift in Detail

The Great Vowel Shift (GVS) was a series of changes in the pronunciation of long vowels that occurred between approximately 1400 and 1700, during which all long vowels raised their place of articulation, and the two highest vowels became diphthongs.

The GVS is the most significant phonological change in the history of English. It fundamentally altered the vowel system and is the primary reason why English spelling does not match pronunciation.

The Chain of Changes