The Sounds of Old English

How Do Linguists Know About Ancient Pronunciation?

Looking at the alphabetletter values do not change at random, should be somewhat similar as today, especially consonants. Vowels are a little tricky they tend to change more.

 Usually no strict rules in past Old English for spelling, so scribes probably wrote as they spokewith evidence from language variation. Comparative reconstructionworking back from present known forms. Known sound changes, e.g., hit becoming it can easily happen as initial h dropped also in Modern English (I saw im) Poetic evidencehow poets use rhyme of alliteration.

Old English Texts

No early manuscripts right after AngloSaxons arrived in Britain; only a few inscriptions in the Runic alphabet

 With the coming of Christianity in 597, there was a need for manuscripts for religious purposes Materials start from about the year 700, mostly glossaries (lists) of Latin words Probably many texts were lost From about 850 on more religious texts, lives of saints, sermons, etc.

 Secular literature, epic poetry, e.g. Beowulf Also works translated from Latin Texts remaining total about 3.5 million words

What did Old English Writing Look Like?

The Sound System

Vowels very different from in Modern English Set of seven long and short vowels Two diphthongs with long and short varieties Many consonants much the same, some showed differences Much variation; sometimes scribes made mistakes

The Vowels
Long Vowels y [] Short Vowels a

e i o u y []

Long and Short Vowels Contrasted

Diphthongs
Long a Short ea

eo

ConsonantsThe Differences
f, s Voiced (like v and z) between vowels and voiced sounds Voiceless (like f and s) elsewhere Symbols interchangeable Voiced between vowels and voiced sounds Voiceless elsewhere

c g h

Like before front vowels k elsewhere Like y before front vowels g elsewhere Like voiceless fricative []

sc cg

Like (dish) Like (edge)

r was probably trilled Other consonants much like expected Contrast of short and long consonants

Prayer Our Father

King James Version Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed by Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thine will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil.

Reading of Our Father

Vowel Mutations
Happened also in ancient times, e.g., goose/geese; mouse/mice; old/elder; man/men; blood/bleed In early Old English another vowel mutation, i-mutation (umlaut), probably in 7th century but not too much later

 When followed by a syllable with the high front vowel i, the vowel in a stressed syllable became front, e.g., *fotiz became fet, Modern English feet. Also provides evidence for when certain Latin words were borrowed into OE, e.g., Latin caseus in in OE cyse, so we know this word was already in OE in the 7th century.