Great Vowel Shift

The Great Vowel Shift (GVS) - named so by Danish linguist Otto Jespersen - was a period of shifts in the pronunciation of vowels the English language. It took place approximately from the 15^th century (the late Middle English period) until the 18^th century (the Early Modern English period).^[1][2] This is the main reason why English words often sound different from how they are spelled.

Furthermore, coinciding with the development of print, the Great Vowel Shift and the increasing production of printed materials have brought about the standardisation of the English language as we know it today. ^[3]

1. ↑ Dobson E.J. 1968. English Pronunciation 1500–1700. 2 vols, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press. (vol. 2, 594–713 for discussion of long stressed vowels).
2. ↑ Nordquist, Richard 2018. [1]
3. ↑ Crystal, David (2010). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. Cambridge University Press.