Day 16 of 365
January 16
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Language The Great Vowel Shift
Between 1400 and 1700, English underwent a massive pronunciation change called the Great Vowel Shift. Long vowels systematically changed their pronunciation, which is why English spelling often seems disconnected from pronunciation. This linguistic transformation is why words like 'bite' and 'meet' sound nothing like they did in Chaucer's time.
💡 Did you know?
This is why 'ough' can be pronounced at least nine different ways in English words like 'through,' 'though,' and 'cough'!
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