Old English Phonology

consonant system

articulatory features similar to modern english:

• place of articulation

• manner of articulation

• voicing

• length

Problematic grapheme/phoneme relations

• voicing

• palatalization

/f/ rule

• word initial or word final position

• e.g.: æst (fast), hlāf (loaf), wīf (wife)

/v/ rule

• between vowels or voiced sounds

• e.g drīfan (drive), wīfes (wives)

Palatalization

ound change of velar consonants (/k/, /g/) resulting in palatalized consonants (/ʧ/, /j/) triggered by palatal vowels

<c> = /k/

before <a, o, u, y> (= velar vowel)

cald (cold), cyssan (kiss), cyning (king)

<c> = /tʃ/

before <e> or <i> (= palatal vowel)

cēosan (choose), cēowan (chew), cēse (cheese), cin (chin

<g> = /g/

before <a, o, u, y> (= velar vowel)

gāst (ghost), gylden (golden), glīdan (glide) (/g/ before consonant)

<g> = /j/

before <e, i, æ> (= palatal vowel)

geard (yard), geolu (yellow), dǣges, dæg (day) word-final position after a palatal vowel)

<g> = /ɣ/

between and after <a, o, u, y>

dagas, fugol (Vogel)

Old English Vowel System

Articulatory features similar to Modern English

• Opening of mouth

• Position of tongue

• Length

• Lip rounding

Process creating irregularity:

• i-mutation

i-mutation

• irregular plural, eg. via vowel change: mouse – mice

  • Loss of syllable containing <i> or <j>

• Regular process

• A back vowel is changed by the influence of either /ɪ, iː, j/ occurring in the following

  syllable

• Vowel changes partly/is assimilated to the vowel of the following syllable