01355383 Varieties of English and Cultures of English Native Speakers 04 | Page 20

The Great Vowel Shift
The Great Vowel Shift refers to the major change in English
pronunciation that occurred in the 15 th -17 th century. It
generally affected the long vowel sounds, making them
sound shorter and the position of the tongue higher and
more towards the front of the mouth. This phenomenon
marked the beginning of the Early Modern English Period
(1500-1700).
Here is the
summary of the
8 steps of the
shift, discovered
by Jespersen
(1909)
http://facweb.furman.edu/~mmenzer/gvs/what.htm