INFLUENCE ON VOWELS OF FOLLOWING /l/ OR PRECEDING /w/

1. In Early Middle English, ME /a/ normally became EME /æ/. But if ME /a/ was preceded by /l/, ME /a/ became EME /ô/, instead.

2. In some dialects, ME /a/ became EME /ô/ after /w/, unless the /a/ was followed by a velar consonant (/g/, /k/, /h/).

3. ME /ô/ usually became EME /o/ when followed by /l/.