Quantity Adjustment Vowel Lengthening and Shortening in Early Middle English [Paperback]

This book presents a unified account of all quantity changes affecting stressed vowels in early Middle English.Using an innovative theoretical framework, Dr Ritt describes the phenomenon of the change in vowel length in early Middle English, and sets out to account for its occurrence.Using an innovative theoretical framework, Dr Ritt describes the phenomenon of the change in vowel length in early Middle English, and sets out to account for its occurrence.Using an innovative theoretical framework, Dr. Ritt describes the phenomenon of the change in vowel length in early Middle English, and sets out to account for its occurrence. He shows that the changes stem from universal principles that govern the way in which humans use speech sounds to communicate. He examines why these principles only sometimes lead to widespread changes, as in Middle English, and goes on to suggest that language is a complex system in which conflicting tendencies are constantly renegotiating their spheres of influence.Preface; 1. Approaching the changes; 2. Reconstructing OSL; 3. Widening the meaning of OSL; 4. A suprasegmental view of OSL; 5. Summary: OSL refined; 6. Homorganic lengthening; 7. Shortenings; 8. Epilogue: explaining Middle English quantity adjustment; Notes; References; Appendices; Index.