All Things Medieval

Middle English Pronunciation Guide

- pronounce all the letters: knyght = k-n-ich-t or k-n-ach-t; write = w-r-ee-t-a

except words of French origin: gn = n (e.g. signes, sovereigne);

initial h is silent (e.g. honour, heir)

- roll the r's

- doubling a vowel is the only way to indicate length (e.g. caas, moot)

y - at beginning of word makes past tense (e.g. yloved means loved = ee-l-ov-ed)

gh = like the ch in German "ich" or the ch in Scottish "loch" (e.g. knyght)

ch = as in church (e.g. chivalrie)

yng / ing = modern ing except when syllable is stressed (e.g. thing; singen = s-ing-ayn)

s = as in hiss not as a z (e.g. disshes)

BASIC VOWEL SOUNDS	a = ah	e = ay	i / y = ee
BASIC VOWEL SOUNDS	o = oh	u = ôô

This is a simplified table of sounds; there are subtle differences that are beyond a basic guide. Remember that spelling is not consistant so pronunciation contains guess work.

symbol	as in:	spelling	examples:
ä = ah	father	a, aa, er	fader, name, that, ferther, clerk, sterte	a
æ	hat, pass	a, ae	has, begge, great, heeth, baebe
ay / ey	mate, day	e, ee	grene, sweete, me, be, she, fredom	e
ah-ee *	aisle	ai, ay, ei, ey	day, lai feith, veyne
i *	my	ai, ay, ei,ey	fair, may, feith
ar	there	e, ea	bere, sea
a	sofa	first or final e	sonne, chivalrie, cause, yonge, name
e	met	e, ee	ryden, hem, end, gentil
eh-oo		7 words only	fewe, lewed, dew, shewe, beaute, hewe, shrewe
ee-oo	few	eu, ew, u	new, reule
ee	machine	i, y	passioun, shires, blithe, nyce, wif, ryde, icumen	i
i	bit	i, y	yloved, list, nyste, skille
au	cloth	o, oo	lore, goon, ofte, hooly
o = oh	sow, note	o, oo, ou, ow	bote, good, roote, thought, knowe	o
oo	root	u, ou, ow	juggen, resoun, flour, fowles, hous, vertu	u
o	book, full	o, oo, u	ful, nonne, love
ah-oo	house, how	au, aw	cause, drawe
aw-uh	Paul, awl	ou, ow	knowen, soule
oy	boy	oi, oy	joye, point, coy

Source:

Baugh, Albert C., ed. Chaucer's Major Poetry. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1963