THE CONSONANT "CH"

/c</

SOURCE: Germanic */k/ in the vicinity of a front vowel not resulting from umlaut ; EME /t/ + EME /j/ , by assibilation

Voiceless alveopalatal fricative

The consonant /c</ has been stable from OE through PDE.

CONSONANT
OE /c</
ME /c</
EME /c</
PDE /c</
SPELLING
c
ch, cch
ch, t, c, cch, tch
ch, t, c, tch
EXAMPLE
ceap
chepe
cheap
cheap

SOUND

CHANGES AFFECTING /c</

ME /c</

Loss of final consonant following unstressed vowel