Modern English Flashcards
Period of Modern English
c.1500 - c.1900
What is the Great Vowel Shift (GVS)?
Process of phonological change
Late 15th Century to early 18th Century
Why are they so many inconsistencies between spelling and pronunciation in English?
Because Standardisation of the English language was completed before the GVS was
What are the main processes involved in the GVS?
Diphthongisation
Raising and fronting
Chain shift/domino effect
What is a pull chain?
High vowels drag low ones
What is a push chain?
Low vowels drag high ones
What is analogy?
The adjustment of words, grammatical forms or sounds to the major linguistic pattern
What is diphthongisation?
A change of a vowel sound into a combination of two vowel sounds
What is Elaboration?
One of five stages of a typical standardization process whereby linguistic elements are developed and added to the selected and diffusing variety as it now has to fulfill a large range of functions. This stage is often followed by codification and prescription.
What is Etymology?
The history of words; the study of the history of words
What are Inkhorn terms?
Latin loanwords that were used in early Modern English and were considered to be prestigious; their use was often ridiculed by their opponents
What are language purists?
Prescriptivists who attempt to establish a particular language usage as the only correct one
What is Monodiphthongisation?
A change of a combination of two vowel sounds into a simple vowel
What is Received Pronunciation?
The standard form of British pronunciation, based on educated speech in southern England
What is Standard English?
A prestigious and codified variety of written English which emerged during the 15th century and is based on the East Midland dialect of Middle English, especially the dialect of London
