User:Phinumu/English dialects

Chart[edit]

IPA: English vowels and diphthongs
Dia- phoneme	Hist. phoneme	RP	WaE	ScE	IrE	GA	CaE	AuE	NZE	Keyword	Examples
æ	a	æ~a	a	ɐ̟	ɑ~a~æ	æ	æ	æ, æː^[1]	ɛ	TRAP	lad, bad, cat^[2]
ɑː or æ		ɑː	a		ɑ~a~æ	æ	æ	äː	ɐː	BATH	pass, path, sample
ɑː		ɑː	aː		ɑː	ɑ~ä	ɑ~ɒ	äː	ɐː	PALM	father
ɒ	o	ɒ~ɔ	ɒ	ɔ	ɑ	ɑ~ä		ɔ	ɔ	LOT	not, wasp
ɒ	o	ɒ~ɔ	ɒ		ɑ	ɒ~ɔ~ɑ^[3]		ɔ	ɔ	CLOTH	off, loss, cloth, long, dog, chocolate^[4]
ɔː	au	oː	ɒː		ɔː	ɒ~ɔ~ɑ^[3]		oː	oː	THOUGHT	law, caught, all, halt, talk
ɪ	i	ɪ	ɪ	ɪ	ɪ	ɪ	ɪ	ɪ	ɘ	KIT	sit
iː	eː	ɪj	iː	i	iː	i	i	ɪi̯	ɘi̯	FLEECE	see
iː	ɛː	ɪj	iː	i	eː	i	i	ɪi̯	ɘi̯	FLEECE	meat
eɪ	aː	ɛɪ̯	eː	e		eɪ̯~e	eɪ̯~e	æɪ̯	æe̯	FACE	date
eɪ	ai	ɛɪ̯	ei	e		eɪ̯~e	eɪ̯~e	æɪ̯	æe̯	FACE	day, pain, whey, rein
ɛ	e	e~ɛ	ɛ	ɛ	ɛ	ɛ	ɛ	e	e~ɪ	DRESS	bed^[5]
oʊ	ɔː	əʊ̯	oː	o	oː	oʊ̯~o	oʊ̯~o	əʉ̯~ɐʉ̯	ɑʉ̯	GOAT	no, toe, soap
	ou	əʊ̯	ou̯			oʊ̯~o	oʊ̯~o	əʉ̯~ɐʉ̯	ɑʉ̯		tow, folk
	ou	əʊ̯~ɒʊ̯~ɔʊ̯	ou̯			o~oə̯~oʊ̯	o~oə̯~oʊ̯	ɔʊ̯	ɔʊ̯		soul, roll, cold
ʌ	u	ə~ʌ~ɑ^[6]	ə~ɜ	ʌ	ɞ, ʊ	ɜ	ʌ	ä	ɐ	STRUT	run, won, flood
ʊ	u	ʊ~ɵ̠	ʊ	ʉ	ɞ, ʊ	ʊ	ʊ	ʊ	ʊ~ɵ̠	FOOT	put
ʊ	oː	ʊ~ɵ̠	ʊ		uː	ʊ	ʊ	ʊ	ʊ~ɵ̠	FOOT	hood
uː	oː	ɵu̯	uː			u̟	u̟	ʉː	ʉː	GOOSE	through, you
uː	iu	ɵu̯	ɪu^[7]			u̟	u̟	ʉː	ʉː		threw, yew
juː	iu	ju̟ː~jʉː	ɪu^[7]	jʉ	juː	(j)u̟	(j)u̟	jʉː	jʉː		cute, dew, ewe
aɪ	iː	ɑɪ̯	ai̯	əi̯~ae̯	ɔɪ̯	äɪ̯, ʌi̯^[8]	äɪ̯, ʌi̯^[8]	ɑe̯~ɑɪ̯	ɐe̯	PRICE	my, wise, high flight, mice
ɔɪ	oi	oɪ̯	ɒi̯	oi̯	ɒɪ̯~oɪ̯	ɔɪ̯~oɪ̯	ɔɪ̯	oɪ̯	oe̯	CHOICE	boy, hoist
aʊ	uː	au̯	au̯	ɘʉ̯	æu̯~ɛu̯	äʊ̯~æʊ̯	äʊ̯, ʌu̯^[8]	æɔ̯~æʊ̯	æɔ̯	MOUTH	now, trout
ɑr	ar	ɑː(ɹ)	aː(ɾ)	ɐ̟ɾ	aːɹ~ äːɹ	ɑɹ	ɑɹ	äː(ɹ)	ɐː(ɹ)	START	arm, car
ɪər	eːr	ɪə̯(ɹ)~ ɪː(ɹ)	ɪə̯(ɾ)	iɾ	iːɹ	iɹ~ iə̯ɹ	ɪɹ	ɪː(ɹ)~ ɪː.ä(ɹ)	iə̯(ɹ)~ ɪə̯(ɹ)	NEAR	deer, here
ɛər	aːr	ɛə̯(ɹ)~ ɛː(ɹ)^[9]	ɛː(ɾ)	eɾ	eːɹ	ɛɹ~ eɹ	ɛɹ	eː(ɹ)~ eː.ä(ɹ)	iə̯(ɹ)~ eə̯(ɹ)	SQUARE	mare, there, bear
ɜr	ur	əː(ɹ)~ ɜː(ɹ)	ɜː(ɾ)	ʌɾ^[10]	ɔɹ~ʊɹ^[10]	ɝ~ɹ̩	ɝ~ɹ̩	ɵː(ɹ)~ ɘː(ɹ)	ɵː(ɹ)~ ø̞̈ː(ɹ)~ œ̈ː(ɹ)	NURSE	burn
	er			ɛɾ^[10]	ɛɹ^[10]						herd, earth
	ir			ɪɾ^[10]	ɪɹ^[10]						bird
ɔr	or	oː(ɹ)	ɒː(ɾ)	ɔɾ	ɑɹ	ɔɹ~oɹ	ɔɹ	oː(ɹ)	oː(ɹ)	NORTH	sort, warm
ɔər	ɔːr	oː(ɹ)	oː(ɾ)	oɾ	oːɹ	ɔɹ~oɹ	ɔɹ	oː(ɹ)	oː(ɹ)	FORCE	tore, boar, port
ʊər	oːr	ɵː(ɹ)~ oː(ɹ)^[11]	ʊə̯(ɾ)	uɾ	uːɹ, oːɹ	ʊɹ~ɔɹ~oɹ	ʊɹ	ʉː.ə(ɹ)~ oː(ɹ)	ʊɐ̯(ɹ) ʉː.ɐ(ɹ)	CURE	tour, moor
jʊər	iur	jɵː(ɹ)~ joː(ɹ)	ɪʊə̯(ɾ)	juɾ	juɹ, joːɹ	jʊɹ, jɝ	jʊɹ, jɝ	jʉː.ə(ɹ)~ joː(ɹ)	jʊɐ̯(ɹ), jʉː.ɐ(ɹ)	CURE	pure, Europe
Dia- phoneme	Hist. phoneme	RP	WaE	ScE	IrE	GA	CaE	AuE	NZE	Keyword	Examples

^ See bad–lad split for this distinction.
^ Often transcribed /a/ for RP, for example in dictionaries of the Oxford University Press.
^ ɒ~ɔ occurs in American accents without the cot–caught merger (about half of today's speakers); the rest have ɑ.
^ In American accents without the cot–caught merger, the LOT vowel (generally written o) appears as ɒ~ɔ instead of ɑ before the fricatives /f/, /θ/ and /s/ and the velar nasal /ŋ/; also usually before /ɡ/, especially in single-syllable words (dog, log, frog, etc.), and occasionally before /k/ (as in chocolate). See lot–cloth split. In American accents with the cot–caught merger (about half of today's speakers), only ɑ occurs.
^ Often transcribed /e/ for RP, for example in Collins English Dictionary.
^ The STRUT vowel in BrE is highly variable in the triangle defined by ə, ʌ and ɑ, see 'STRUT for Dummies'
^ In Welsh English, you, yew and ewe are /juː/, /jɪu/ and /ɪu/ respectively; in most other varieties of English they are homophones.
^ ^a ^b ^c Canadian English has a phenomenon called Canadian raising in which raised diphthongs [ʌi̯] and [ʌu̯] are found before voiceless consonants, as in right [ɹʷʌi̯t] and out [ʌu̯t]; in other environments, [aɪ̯] and [aʊ̯] are used. In much of U.S. English, this happens with [ʌɪ̯], primarily when a voiceless consonant phoneme follows /aɪ̯/. For example, dike, life, and sight end with voiceless /k/, /f/, and /t/, so the diphthongs differ from those in wives and side, which have voiced /v/ and /d/. For some speakers, [ʌɪ̯] also occurs before voiced consonants when another syllable follows, but only when no morpheme break occurs; hence [ʌɪ̯] in tiger and/or spider, but [aɪ̯] in rider because -er is a separate morpheme. Most U.S. English distinguishes between writer [ˈɹʌɪ̯ɾəɹ] and rider [ˈɹaɪ̯ɾəɹ] purely based on this vowel difference.
^ While the actual pronunciation is [ɛə(ɹ) ~ ɛː(ɹ)], it can also be transcribed /eə(ɹ)/.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f See Fern–fir–fur merger for this distinction.
^ Roach (2004) notes that many people in England use [oː] for this vowel, but also that RP traditionally distinguishes between maw /mɔː/ and moor /mʊə/, tore /tɔː/ and tour /tʊə/, as well as paw /pɔː/ and poor /pʊə/. If one wishes to make that distinction today it would be best to use ɵ instead of ʊə. This will lead to tore as toː and tour as tɵː.

Monophthongs of California English
Monophthongs of Australian English
Diphthongs of Australian English
Monophthongs of Cardiff English
Diphthongs of Cardiff English

Middle English vowels[edit]

NOTE: In this table, abbreviations are used as follows:

OE = Old English
WS = West Saxon (dialect of Old English)
ME = Middle English
NE = Modern English
GA = General American (generalised U.S. accent of Modern English)
RP = Received Pronunciation (prestige British accent of Modern English)

leng. = lengthened by open-syllable lengthening
occ. = occasionally
superl. = superlative
> = produces by regular sound change
>! = produces by analogy or irregular change

Middle English, c. 1400	Modern English spelling, c. 1500	Early Modern English, c. 1600	Modern English, c. 2000	Lexical Set	Example
/a/	a	/a/	/æ/	TRAP	OE mann > "man"; OE lamb > "lamb"; OE sang > "sang"; OE sacc > "sack"; OE fæþm "embrace" > "fathom"; OE sæt > "sat"; OE weax > "wax"; OE fǣtt > "fat" OE brēmbel (WS brǣmbel) > "bramble"
			(w+, not +g,ck,ng,nk) GA /ɑ/, RP /ɒ/	LOT	OE swan > "swan"; OE wasċan > "to wash"; OE wann "dark" > "wan"; OE wæsp > "wasp"; OE wealwian > "to wallow"
			(+r) /ar/ > GA /ɑr/, RP /ɑː/	START	OE heard > "hard"; OE ærc (WS earc) > "ark"
			(w+ and +r) /ɔr/ > GA /ɔr/, RP /ɔː/	NORTH	OE swearm > "swarm"; OE sweart > old poetic "swart" >! "swarthy"; OE weardian > "to ward"; OE wearm > "warm"; OE wearnian > "to warn"
			(+lC,l#) /ɔː/	THOUGHT	OE smæl > "small"; OE all (WS eall) > "all"; OE walcian (WS wealcian) "to roll" > "to walk"
			(+lm) GA /ɑ/, RP /ɑː/	PALM	OE ælmesse > "alms"; Latin palma > OE palm > "palm"
			(RP, often +f,s,th) /ɑː/	BATH	OE glæs > "glass"; OE græs > "grass"; OE pæþ > "path"; OE æfter > "after"; OE āscian /ɑːsk/ > "to ask"; OE lǣstan /lɑːst/ > "to last"
/aː/ [æː]	aCV	/ɛː/	/eː/ > /eɪ/	FACE	OE nama > "name"; OE bacan > "to bake"; OE æcer > "acre"; OE hwæl > "whale"
/aː/ [æː]	aCV	/ɛː/	(+r) /eːr/ > GA /ɛr/, RP /ɛə/	SQUARE	OE caru > "care"; OE faran > "to fare"; OE starian > "to stare"
/ɛː/	ea,eCV	/eː/	/iː/	FLEECE	OE specan > "to speak"; OE mete > "meat"; OE beofor > "beaver"; OE meotan (WS metan) > "to mete"; OE eotan (WS etan) > "to eat"; OE hǣtu > "heat"; OE hwǣte > "wheat"; OE lēaf > "leaf"
			(+r) /iːr/ > GA /ɪr/, RP /ɪə/	NEAR	OE spere > "spear"; OE hēr > "here"; OE hēran (WS hīeran) > "to hear"; OE rǣran > "to rear" ; OE ēare > "ear"
			(occ.) /eɪ/	FACE	OE brecan > "to break" /breik/; OE grēat > "great" /greit/
			(occ. +r) /eːr/ > GA /ɛr/, RP /ɛə/	SQUARE	OE beoran (WS beran) > "to bear"; OE swerian > "to swear"; OE þēr (WS þǣr) > "there"; OE hwēr (WS hwǣr) > "where"; OE ǣr > "ere" (before)
			(often +th,d,t,v) /ɛ/	DRESS	OE leþer > "leather"; OE stede > "stead"; OE weder > "weather"; OE heofon > "heaven"; OE hefiġ > "heavy"; OE -sprǣdan > "to spread"; OE dēad > "dead"; OE rēad > "red"
/e/	e	/ɛ/	/ɛ/	DRESS	OE helpan > "to help"; OE elh (WS eolh) > "elk"; OE tellan > "to tell"; OE betera > "better"; OE seofon > "seven"; OE byrġan > "to bury" /bɛri/; OE cnyll > "knell"; OE cēpte > "kept"; OE mētte > "met"; OE clǣnsian > "to cleanse"; OE flǣsċ > "flesh"; OE lǣssa > "less"; OE frēond > "friend" /frɛnd/; OE hēold > "held"
	(+r) ar	/ar/	GA /ɑr/, RP /ɑː/	START	OE heorte > "heart"; OE bercan (WS beorcan) > "to bark"; OE teoru (WS teru) > "tar"; OE steorra > "star"
	(+r) ar	/ar/	(w+ and +r) /ɔr/ > GA /ɔr/, RP /ɔː/	NORTH	AN werra > "war"; AN werbler > "to warble"
	(occ. +r) er	/ɛr/	/ər/ > GA /ər/, RP /ɜː/	NURSE	OE eorl > "earl"; OE eorþe > "earth"; OE liornian, leornian > "to learn"; OE hērde (WS hīerde) > "heard"
/eː/	ee,ie(nd/ld)	/iː/	/iː/	FLEECE	OE fēdan > "to feed"; OE grēdiġ (WS grǣdiġ) > "greedy"; OE dēop "deep"; OE fēond > "fiend"; OE bēon > "to be"; OE feld > "field"; OE ġeldan (WS ġieldan) "to pay" > "to yield"; OE wicu > "week"; OE pilian > "to peel"
/eː/	ee,ie(nd/ld)	/iː/	(+r) /iːr/ > GA /ɪr/, RP /ɪə/	NEAR	OE bēor > "beer"; OE dēor > "deer"; OE stēran (WS stīeran) > "to steer"; OE bēr (WS bǣr) > "bier"
/i/	i	/ɪ/	/ɪ/	KIT	OE writen > "written"; OE sittan > "to sit"; OE fisċ > "fish"; OE lifer > "liver"; OE bryċġ > "bridge"; OE cyssan > "to kiss"; OE dyde > "did"; OE synn > "sin"; OE gyldan > "to gild"; OE wīsdōm > "wisdom"; OE fīftiġ > "fifty"; OE wȳsċan > "to wish"; OE cȳþþ(u) > "kith"; OE ċīcen > "chicken"; OE lȳtel > "little"; OE sēoc > "sick"; OE wēoce > "wick"
/i/	i	/ɪ/	(+r) /ər/ > GA /ər/, RP /ɜː/	NURSE	OE gyrdan > "to gird"; OE fyrst > "first"; OE styrian > "to stir"
/iː/	i,iCV,y#	/əi/	/aɪ/	PRICE	OE rīdan > "to ride"; OE tīma > "time"; OE hwīt > "white"; OE mȳs > "mice"; OE brȳd > "bride"; OE hȳdan > "to hide"; OE ċild > "child"; OE climban > "to climb"; OE mynd > "mind"; OE ēage > "eye"; OE lēogan > "to lie" (deceive); OE tiġel > "tile"; OE liġe > "to lie" (recline); OE ryġe > "rye"; OE drȳġe > "dry"
/iː/	i,iCV,y#	/əi/	(+r) /aɪr/ > GA /aɪr/, RP /aɪə/		OE fȳr > "fire"; OE hȳrian > "to hire"; OE wīr > "wire"
/ɔː/	oa,oCV	/oː/	GA /oʊ/, RP /əʊ/	GOAT	OE fola > "foal"; OE nosu > "nose"; OE ofer > "over"; OE āc > "oak"; OE hāl > "whole"; OE camb > "comb"
/ɔː/	oa,oCV	/oː/	(+r) /oːr/ > GA /ɔr/, RP /ɔː/	FORCE	OE borian > "to bore"; OE fore > "fore"; OE bord > "board"; OE māra > "more"; OE bār > "boar"
/o/	o	/ɔ/	GA /ɑ/, RP /ɒ/	LOT	OE god > "god"; OE beġeondan > "beyond"; OE gōdspell > "gospel"; OE fōddor > "fodder"
			(GA, +f,s,th,g,ng) /ɔː/	CLOTH	OE moþþe > "moth"; OE cros > "cross"; OE frost > "frost"; OE of > "off"; OE oft > "oft"; OE sōfte > "soft"
			(+r) /ɔr/ > GA /ɔr/, RP /ɔː/	NORTH	OE corn > "corn"; OE storc > "stork"; OE storm > "storm"
/oː/	oo	/u:/	/u:/	GOOSE	OE mōna > "moon"; OE sōna > "soon"; OE dōn > "to do"; OE cēosan > "to choose"; OE (brȳd)-guma > ME "(bride)-gome" >! "(bride)-groom"
			(+r) /uːr/ > /oːr/ > GA /ɔr/, RP /ɔː/	FORCE CURE	OE flōr > "floor"; OE mōr > "moor"; OE duru > "door"
			(occ. +th,d,v) /ʌ/	STRUT	OE blōd > "blood"; OE mōdor > "mother"; OE glōf > "glove"
			(often +th,d,t,k) /ʊ/	FOOT	OE gōd > "good"; OE bōc > "book"; OE lōcian > "to look"; OE wudu > "wood"
/u/	u,o	/ʊ/	/ʌ/	STRUT	OE bucc > "buck" /bʌk/; OE lufian > "to love" /lʌv/; OE uppe > "up"; OE myċel > ME "muchel" >! "much"; OE blysċan > "to blush"; OE cyċġel > "cudgel"; OE clyċċan > "to clutch"; OE dūst > "dust"; OE tūsc > "tusk"; OE rūst > "rust"
			(b,f,p+ and +l,sh) /ʊ/	FOOT	OE full > "full" /fʊl/; OE bula > "bull"; OE bysċ > "bush"
			(+r) /ər/ > GA /ər/, RP /ɜː/	NURSE	OE spurnan > "to spurn"; OE ċyriċe > "church"; OE byrþen > "burden"; OE hyrdel > "hurdle"; OE word > "word"; OE werc (WS weorc) > "work"; OE werold > "world"; OE wyrm > "worm"
/uː/	ou,ow	/əu/	/aʊ/	MOUTH	OE mūs > "mouse"; OE ūt, ūte > "out"; OE hlūd > "loud"; OE ġefunden > "found"; OE hund > "hound"; OE fugol > "fowl"; OE drugaþ > "drought"; OE būgan > "to bow"
			(+r) /aʊr/ > GA /aʊr/, RP /aʊə/		OE ūre > "our"; OE sċūr > "shower"; OE sūr > "sour"
			(occ. +t) /ʌ/	STRUT	OE būtan > "but"; OE strūtian > ME strouten > "to strut"
/ai/ [æi]	ai,ay	/eː/	/eɪ/	FACE	OE dæġ > "day"; OE mæġ > "may"; OE mæġden > "maiden"; OE næġl > "nail"; OE fæġer > "fair"; OE weġ > "way"; OE pleġan > "to play"; OE reġn > "rain"; OE leġer > "lair"; OE leġde > "laid"
/ɔi/	oi,oy	/ɔɪ/	/ɔɪ/	CHOICE
/ʊi/	oi,oy	/ʊɪ/	/ɔɪ/	CHOICE
/au/	au,aw	/ɔː/	/ɔː/	THOUGHT	OE clawu > "claw"; OE lagu > "law"; OE dragan > "to draw"
/ɛu/	ew	/ɪu/	/(j)uː/	GOOSE	OE mǣw > "mew"; OE lǣwede > "lewd"; OE scrēawa > "shrew"; OE eowu > "ewe"
/iu/	u,uCV,eu,ew		/(j)uː/	GOOSE	OE hrēowan > "to rue"; OE blēow > "blew"; OE trēowþ > truth; OE hīw > "hue"; OE nīwe > "new"; OE Tīwesdæġ > Tiwesdæġ > "Tuesday"
/iu/	u,uCV,eu,ew		(+r) /(j)uːr/ > GA /jʊr/, RP /jʊə/	CURE
/ɔu/	ow	/ou/ > /oː/	GA /oʊ/, RP /əʊ/	GOAT	OE cnāwan > "to know"; OE crāwa > "crow"; OE snāw > "snow"; OE sāwol > soul; OE āgan > "to owe"; OE āgen > "own"; OE grōwan > "to grow"; OE blōwen > "blown"; OE boga > "bow" /bou/; OE flogen > "flown"
/auh/	augh	OE ([x] → ∅) /ɔː/	/ɔː/	THOUGHT	OE slæht (WS sleaht) + -or > "slaughter"
/auh/	augh	([x] → /f/) /af/	GA /æf/, RP /ɑːf/	BATH	OE hlæhtor > "laughter"
/ɛih/	aigh,eigh	/ei/ > /eː/	/eɪ/	FACE	OE streht > "straight"
/iːh/	igh	/əi/	/aɪ/	PRICE	OE hēah > hēh > "high"; OE þēoh > þēh > "thigh"; OE nēh > "nigh"; OE reht > riht > "right"; OE flyht > "flight"; OE līoht > līht > "light"
/ɔuh/	ough	OE ([x] → ∅) /ou/ > /oː/	GA /oʊ/, RP /əʊ/	GOAT	OE dāg > dāh > "dough"
		(before cons. [x] → ∅) /ɔː/	/ɔː/	THOUGHT	OE āhte > "ought"; OE dohtor > "daughter"; OE þoht > "thought"; OE sōhte > "sought"
		([x] → /f/) /ɔf/	GA /ɔːf/, RP /ɒf/	CLOTH	OE trog > "trough"
/uːh/	ough	OE ([x] → ∅) /əu/	/aʊ/	MOUTH	OE bōg > "bough"; OE plōg > plōh > "plough"
/uːh/	ough	([x] → /f/) /ʊf/	/ʌf/	STRUT	OE ġenōg, ġenōh > enough; OE tōh > "tough"; OE ruh > "rough"

Origin of Vowels by Lexical Set[edit]

Keyword	GA	RP	Frequent origin	Other origins
FLEECE	iː		ME /eː/	ME /ɛː/ usually
KIT	ɪ		ME /i/
NEAR	ɪɹ	ɪə	ME /eː/+/r/	ME /ɛː/+/r/ usually
FACE	eɪ		ME /aː/, ME /ai/	ME /ɛː/ sometimes; ME /ɛih/
DRESS	ɛ		ME /e/	ME /ɛː/ before /θ/,/d/,/v/ sometimes
SQUARE	ɛɹ	ɛə	ME /aː/+/r/	ME /ɛː/+/r/ sometimes
TRAP	æ		ME /a/
BATH	æ	ɑː	ME /a/ before voiceless fricative or n,m+voiceless consonant	ME /auh/→/æf~ɑːf/ sometimes
PALM	ɑ	ɑː	ME /a/ before /lm/	"father"
START	ɑɹ	ɑː	ME /a/+/r/
LOT	ɑ	ɒ	ME /o/	ME /a/ after /w/, except before /r/ and velar consonants
CLOTH	ɔː	ɒ	ME /o/ before voiceless fricatives	ME /ɔuh/→/ɔːf~ɒf/ sometimes
THOUGHT	ɔː	oː	ME /au/	ME /auh/ sometimes; ME /ɔuh/ before consonants; ME /a/ before /l/ except sequence /alm/
NORTH	ɔɹ	oː	ME /o/+/r/	ME /a/+/r/ after /w/
FORCE	ɔɹ	oː	ME /ɔː/+/r/	ME /oː/+/r/ sometimes
GOAT	oʊ	ǝʊ	ME /ɔː/, ME /ɔu/	ME /ɔuh/ sometimes
GOOSE	uː		ME /oː/, ME /ɛu/, ME /iu/
CURE	ʊɹ	ʊǝ	ME /iu/+/r/	ME /oː/+/r/
FOOT	ʊ		ME /oː/ before /d/,/t/,/k/ ME /u/ after labial consonants, usually before /l/,/ʃ/
STRUT	ɜ	ɐ	ME /u/	ME /uː/ before /t/ sometimes ME /uːh/→/ɜf~ʌf/ sometimes
NURSE	ɝ	əː	ME /e/,/i/,/u/+/r/
PRICE	aɪ		ME /iː/	ME /iːh/
MOUTH	aʊ		ME /uː/	ME /uːh/ sometimes
CHOICE	ɔɪ		ME /ɔi/, ME /ʊi/

Fate of Middle English Vowels[edit]

Vowel	Frequent outcome	+/r/	+/h/	Conditional	Conditional	Alternate
a	/æ/	/ɑr/	/ɔː/ /æf/	+l: /ɔ/ w_C (non-velar): /ɒ/ /ɔər/	+lm: /ɑ/ _s,f,θ: some dialects /ɑ/
aː	/eɪ/	/ɛər/
ɛː	/iː/	/ɪər/	+d,f,θ: sometimes /ɛ/			/eɪ/ +/r/: /ɛər/
e	/ɛ/	/ɑr/	/eɪ/	w_r: /ɔr/		+r: /ɜr/
eː	/iː/	/ɪər/
i	/ɪ/	/ɜr/	/aɪ/
iː	/aɪ/	/aɪər/
ɔː	/oʊ/	/ɔər/
o	/ɒ/	/ɔr/	/oʊ/ /ɒf/ +cons: /ɔː/			+f,s,θ,ɡ,ŋ: some dialects /ɔː/
oː	/uː/	/ʊər/		+d,θ,f: sometimes /ʌ/	+d,t,k: sometimes /ʊ/
u	/ʌ/	/ɜr/	/aʊ/ /ʌf/	b,f,p_l,ʃ: /ʊ/
uː	/aʊ/	/aʊər/		+t: sometimes /ʌ/
ɔi ʊi	/ɔɪ/
iu ɛu	/juː/
ai	/eɪ/
ɔu	/oʊ/
au	/ɔː/

Common English[edit]

Common English c. 1400		Frequent Spelling	Early Modern English c. 1600	Early Modern English c. 1600	Modern English c. 2000	Lexical Set	Example
/a/		a	/æ/	/æ/	/æ/	TRAP	man, lamb, sang, sack, fathom, sat, wax, fat, bramble
				/æ/	(often +f,s,th) GA /æ/, RP /ɑː/	BATH	glass, grass, path, after, ask, last
				(+lm) /aː/	GA /ɑ/, RP /ɑː/	PALM	alms, palm
				(+r) /ar/	GA /ɑr/, RP /ɑː/	START	hard, ark
			(+lC,l#) /au/ → /ɔu/	/ɔː/	/ɔː/	THOUGHT	small, all, walk
			(w+, not +velar) /ɔ/	/ɒ/	GA /ɑ/, RP /ɒ/	LOT	swan, wash, wan, wasp, wallow
			(w+, not +velar) /ɔ/	/ɒ/	(+r) /ɔr/ → GA /ɔr/, RP /ɔː/	NORTH	swarm, swarthy, ward, warm, warn
/aː/ [æː]		aCV	/ɛː/	/eː/	/eɪ/	FACE	name, bake, acre, whale
/aː/ [æː]		aCV	/ɛː/	/eː/	(+r) GA /ɛr/, RP /ɛə/	SQUARE	care, fare, stare
/ɛː/		ea,eCV	/eː/	/iː/	/iː/	FLEECE	speak, meat, beaver, mete, eat, heat, wheat, leaf
				/iː/	(+r) GA /ɪr/, RP /ɪə/	NEAR	spear, here, hear, rear, ear
				(occ.) /eː/	/eɪ/	FACE	break, great
				(occ.) /eː/	(+r) GA /ɛr/, RP /ɛə/	SQUARE	bear, swear, there, where, ere
			(often +th,d,t,v) /ɛ/	/ɛ/	/ɛ/	DRESS	leather, stead, weather, heaven, heavy, to spread, dead, red
/e/		e	/ɛ/	/ɛ/	/ɛ/	DRESS	help, elk, tell, better, seven, bury, knell, kept, met, cleanse, flesh, less, friend, held
		e	/ɛ/	(+r) /ɛr/	GA /ər/, RP /ɜː/	NURSE	earl, earth, learn, heard
		(usu. +r) ar	/ar/	/ar/	GA /ɑr/, RP /ɑː/	START	heart, bark, tar, star
		(usu. +r) ar	(w+) /ar/ → /ɔr/	/ɒr/	/ɔr/ → GA /ɔr/, RP /ɔː/	NORTH	war, warble
/eː/		ee,ie(nd/ld)	/iː/	/iː/	/iː/	FLEECE	feed, greedy, deep, fiend, be, field, yield, week, peel
/eː/		ee,ie(nd/ld)	/iː/	/iː/	(+r) /iːr/ → GA /ɪr/, RP /ɪə/	NEAR	beer, deer, steer, bier
/i/		i	/ɪ/	/ɪ/	/ɪ/	KIT	written, sit, fish, liver, bridge, kiss, did, sin, gild, wisdom, fifty, wish, chicken, little, sick, wick
/i/		i	/ɪ/	/ɪ/	(+r) GA /ər/, RP /ɜː/	NURSE	gird, first, stir
/iː/		i,iCV,y#	/əi/	ʌi/	/aɪ/	PRICE	ride, time, white, mice, bride, hide, child, climb, mind, eye, lie, tile, rye, dry
/iː/		i,iCV,y#	/əi/	ʌi/	(+r) /aɪr/ → GA /aɪr/, RP /aɪə/		fire, hire, wire
/ɔː/		oa,oCV	/oː/	/oː/	GA /oʊ/, RP /əʊ/	GOAT	foal, nose, over, oak, whole, comb
/ɔː/		oa,oCV	/oː/	/oː/	(+r) GA /ɔr/, RP /ɔː/	FORCE	bore, fore, board, more, boar
/o/		o	/ɔ/	/ɒ/	GA /ɑ/, RP /ɒ/	LOT	god, beyond, gospel, fodder
				/ɒ/	(+r) /ɔr/ → GA /ɔr/, RP /ɔː/	NORTH	corn, stork, storm
				(+f,s,th,g,ng) /ɔː/	GA /ɔː/, RP /ɒ/	CLOTH	moth, cross, frost, off, oft, soft
/oː/		oo	/u:/	/u:/	/u:/	GOOSE	moon, soon, do, choose, groom
					(+r) GA /ʊr/, RP /ʊǝ/	CURE	moor, poor
					(+r) /oːr/ → GA /ɔr/, RP /ɔː/	FORCE	floor, door
				(often +th,d,t,k) /ʊ/	/ʊ/	FOOT	good, book, look, wood
			(occ. +th,d,v) /ʊ/	/ʌ/	GA /ɜ/, RP /ɐ/	STRUT	blood, mother, glove
/u/		u,o	/ʊ/	/ʌ/	/ʌ/	STRUT	buck, love, up, much, blush, cudgel, clutch, dust, tusk, rust
				/ʌ/	(+r) GA /ər/, RP /ɜː/	NURSE	spurn, church, burden, hurdle, word, work, world, worm
				(b,f,p+ and +l,sh) /ʊ/	/ʊ/	FOOT	full, bull, bush
/uː/		ou,ow	/əu/	/ʌu/	/aʊ/	MOUTH	mouse, out, loud, found, hound, fowl, drought, bow
			/əu/	/ʌu/	(+r) GA /aʊr/, RP /aʊə/		our, shower, sour
			(occ. +t) /ʊ/	/ʌ/	GA /ɜ/, RP /ɐ/	STRUT	but, strut
/ai/ [æi]		ai,ay	/ɛi/	/eː/	/eɪ/	FACE	day, may, maiden, nail, fair, way, play, rain, lair, laid
/ɔi/		oi,oy	/ɔi/	/ɔi/	/ɔɪ/	CHOICE
/au/		au,aw	/ɔu/	/ɔː/	/ɔː/	THOUGHT	claw, law, draw
/iu/		u,uCV,eu,ew	/iu/	/ju/	/(j)uː/	GOOSE	mew, lewd, shrew, ewe, rue, blew, truth, hue, new, Tuesday
/iu/		u,uCV,eu,ew	/iu/	/ju/	(+r) GA /(j)ʊr/, RP /(j)ʊə/	CURE
/ɔu/		ow	/ou/	/oː/	GA /oʊ/, RP /əʊ/	GOAT	know, crow, snow, soul, owe, own, grow, blown, bow, flown
/auh/	([x] → ∅) /au/	augh	/ɔu/	/ɔː/	/ɔː/	THOUGHT	slaughter
/auh/	([x] → /f/) /af/	augh	/æf/	/æf/	GA /æf/, RP /ɑːf/	BATH	laughter
/ɛih/		aigh,eigh	/ɛi/	/eː/	/eɪ/	FACE	straight
/iːh/		igh	/əi/	/ʌi/	/aɪ/	PRICE	high, thigh, nigh, right, flight, light
/ɔuh/	([x] → ∅) /ɔu/	ough	/ou/	/oː/	GA /oʊ/, RP /əʊ/	GOAT	dough
	([x] → ∅) /ɔu/		(+cons.) /ɔu/	/ɔː/	/ɔː/	THOUGHT	ought, daughter, thought, sought
	([x] → /f/) /of/		/ɔf/	/ɒf/	GA /ɔːf/, RP /ɒf/	CLOTH	trough
/uːh/	([x] → ∅) /uː/	ough	/əu/	/ʌu/	/aʊ/	MOUTH	bough, plough
/uːh/	([x] → /f/) /uf/	ough	/ʊf/	/ʌf/	GA /ɜf/, RP /ɐf/	STRUT	enough, tough, rough

Additional lexical sets[edit]

MAN: Bad–lad split, æ-tensing

BAG: æ-tensing

HANG: æ-tensing

WREN: Pin–pen merger

SING: raising of /ɪ/ before /ŋ/

LENGTH: raising of /ɛ/ before /ŋ/

HEAT: preservation of meet–meat distinction

CREAM: preservation of meet–meat distinction

PUT: lack of put-putt split

CHEW: preservation of you–yew distinction

BAIT: preservation of vain–vane distinction

KNOW: preservation of toe–tow distinction

SHIRT: preservation of fern–fir-fur distinction

EARTH: preservation of fern–fir-fur distinction

SOUR:

FIRE:

MOOR:

[badlad-1] See bad–lad split for this distinction.

[oxforda-2] Often transcribed /a/ for RP, for example in dictionaries of the Oxford University Press.

[3] ɒ~ɔ occurs in American accents without the cot–caught merger (about half of today's speakers); the rest have ɑ.

[4] In American accents without the cot–caught merger, the LOT vowel (generally written o) appears as ɒ~ɔ instead of ɑ before the fricatives /f/, /θ/ and /s/ and the velar nasal /ŋ/; also usually before /ɡ/, especially in single-syllable words (dog, log, frog, etc.), and occasionally before /k/ (as in chocolate). See lot–cloth split. In American accents with the cot–caught merger (about half of today's speakers), only ɑ occurs.

[collinse-5] Often transcribed /e/ for RP, for example in Collins English Dictionary.

[6] The STRUT vowel in BrE is highly variable in the triangle defined by ə, ʌ and ɑ, see 'STRUT for Dummies'

[7] In Welsh English, you, yew and ewe are /juː/, /jɪu/ and /ɪu/ respectively; in most other varieties of English they are homophones.

[canadianraising-8] Canadian English has a phenomenon called Canadian raising in which raised diphthongs [ʌi̯] and [ʌu̯] are found before voiceless consonants, as in right [ɹʷʌi̯t] and out [ʌu̯t]; in other environments, [aɪ̯] and [aʊ̯] are used. In much of U.S. English, this happens with [ʌɪ̯], primarily when a voiceless consonant phoneme follows /aɪ̯/. For example, dike, life, and sight end with voiceless /k/, /f/, and /t/, so the diphthongs differ from those in wives and side, which have voiced /v/ and /d/. For some speakers, [ʌɪ̯] also occurs before voiced consonants when another syllable follows, but only when no morpheme break occurs; hence [ʌɪ̯] in tiger and/or spider, but [aɪ̯] in rider because -er is a separate morpheme. Most U.S. English distinguishes between writer [ˈɹʌɪ̯ɾəɹ] and rider [ˈɹaɪ̯ɾəɹ] purely based on this vowel difference.

[airsymbol-9] While the actual pronunciation is [ɛə(ɹ) ~ ɛː(ɹ)], it can also be transcribed /eə(ɹ)/.

[FFFM-10] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f See Fern–fir–fur merger for this distinction.

[11] Roach (2004) notes that many people in England use [oː] for this vowel, but also that RP traditionally distinguishes between maw /mɔː/ and moor /mʊə/, tore /tɔː/ and tour /tʊə/, as well as paw /pɔː/ and poor /pʊə/. If one wishes to make that distinction today it would be best to use ɵ instead of ʊə. This will lead to tore as toː and tour as tɵː.

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