The Great Vowel Shift

The Great Vowel Shift was a major change in English pronunciation that occurred roughly between the 14th and 18th centuries. It involved a systematic movement of long vowels to higher positions in the mouth, transforming how words sounded. For example, the vowel in "bite" shifted from a sound like "beet," and "name" changed from a long "a" to a long "e" sound. This shift helped shape modern English pronunciation, making it quite different from Middle English, even though spelling often remained the same. It significantly influenced the development of English phonology and pronunciation today.