Long Vowel Shifts in English c. 1050-1700

The English language has undergone many sound changes in its long history. Some of these changes had a profound effect on the pronunciation of the language. A number of these significant instances of language evolution are generally grouped together and termed the ''Great Vowel Shift''. These changes are generally considered to be unrelated to other similar long-vowel changes taking place a little earlier. This book assesses an extensive range of irregular Middle English spellings for all these changes with a view to identifying the real course of events: the dates the chronology and the dialects that stand out as being innovative. Using empirical evidence to offer a fresh perspective and drawing new convincing conclusions Stenbrenden offers an interpretation of the history of the English language which may change our view of sound change completely.