Early Modern English "OW"

EARLY MODERN ENGLISH "OW"

SOURCE

CHANGE

/'u/

Spelling: ou, ov, ow, ough, ovgh

out
house

Diphthong: /'/ +/u/. Vowel of PDE but + vowel of PDE boot.

SOUND

CHANGE

REFLEX

ME /u/

Great Vowel Shift

PDE /aU/

ME /U/

+ ME /h/

Compensatory lengthening

+ Great Vowel Shift