The History of English Podcast Episode 184: Spelling Says a Lot (Part 1)
Jul 15, 2025
In the 1500s, English spelling began to standardize, while pronunciation evolved dramatically. Scholars in the early 1600s called for phonetic reforms as spellings no longer matched how words sounded. The pride in English grew during the late Elizabethan period, highlighted by William Camden's 'Britannia.' Explore the fascinating journey of the letter A through various sounds and significant shifts in pronunciation due to influences like the Great Vowel Shift. Discover how the letters H, I, and J transformed under the Norman conquest and changed language forever.
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Historical Roots of Spelling
- English spelling mostly reflects how words were pronounced in the 1500s.
- Modern spelling frustrations arise because pronunciation has changed since then.
Standardizing Spelling Amid Change
- English spelling became standardized over the 1500s, helped by government and printing press.
- This standardization occurred amid rapid pronunciation change, causing mismatch issues.
Challenges of Phonetic Spelling
- Phonetic spelling proposals aimed to match one letter to one sound, reflecting pronunciation exactly.
- These failed due to dialect differences and constant language change making phonetic spelling impractical.