Spelling Timeline

This is my, Hurlebatte's, attempt at following the evolution of English spelling. Do not take it as authoritative or fully accurate.

The Writ
600-1066

The English alphabet consists of the following letters: Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Rr Ss Tt Uu Xx Yy Þþ Ðð Ƿƿ Ææ.


 * Digraphs include: ⟨cg⟩ for /dʒ/; ⟨sc⟩ for /ʃ/ (which emerged from /sk/); ⟨ea⟩ for /æɑ/; ⟨uu⟩ for /w/; ⟨th⟩ for /ð/ and /θ/; ⟨hƿ⟩ for /ʍ/.
 * Sometimes ⟨gc⟩ or ⟨gg⟩ is written instead of ⟨cg⟩
 * Sometimes ⟨u⟩, ⟨uu⟩, or ⟨w⟩ is written instead of ⟨ƿ⟩.
 * ⟨k⟩ sometimes shows up to fight ambiguity between /tʃ/ and /k/.
 * ⟨þ⟩ and ⟨ð⟩ are used interchangeably.
 * ⟨z⟩ and ⟨q⟩ are very rare. ⟨z⟩ can sometimes be found in foreign names like Zenodotus {MS. Ashmole 328}.
 * ⟨ƿh⟩ is very rare. ⟨hƿ⟩ is dominant.
 * ⟨e⟩ and ⟨i⟩ are occasionally inserted after ⟨c⟩ and ⟨g⟩ when writers want to make it clear their values are /tʃ/ and /j/ and not /k/ and /g/. For example, giul can be found as a spelling for /jul/ (Yule).

1066-1199

The Norman Invasion occurs, French begins to influence English orthography.


 * In the Peterborough Chronicle a switch in handwriting from Insular to Carolingian happens on 88v.


 * ⟨gg⟩ becomes more popular than ⟨cg⟩.


 * The Ormulum uses: ⟨ch⟩ for /tʃ/, ⟨sk⟩ for /sk/; ⟨sh⟩ for /ʃ/; ⟨ƿh⟩ for /ʍ/; Carolingian ⟨g⟩ for /g/; ⟨ȝh⟩ for [ɣ]; ⟨ȝȝ⟩ for /dʒ/.


 * The Carolingian style of writing ⟨g⟩ is borrowed from France. The old Insular ⟨g⟩ becomes the new letter ⟨ȝ⟩, called yough. ⟨ȝ⟩ no longer stands for /g/, as this job now belongs to the Carolingian ⟨g⟩.


 * By now /y/ has merged into /i/. This leads to ⟨y⟩ being used interchangeably with ⟨i⟩. This may be the basis for ⟨y⟩ later taking on /j/. It seems that in a few cases surviving instances of /y/ get respelled as ⟨u⟩ in the French manner, resulting in variant spellings like burthen and brugge as opposed to birthen and brigge.


 * ⟨u⟩ takes on /v/ shortly after 1066 {BL Cotton Tiberius A.xiii, 116v}.


 * ⟨hr⟩ struggles to survive this period, usually becoming ⟨r⟩.


 * ⟨hl⟩ often becomes ⟨l⟩.

1200s

By this century the Normans have been replaced on the throne by the Angevins. French influence continues, but it is no longer mainly Norman French.


 * /ʃ/ is spelled ⟨sc⟩, ⟨sch⟩, ⟨sh⟩, ⟨ss⟩, ⟨s⟩.


 * ⟨ou⟩ is borrowed from French and becomes a very popular spelling for /uː/, which beforehand was written ⟨u⟩, ⟨ue⟩, and ⟨uCe⟩.


 * ⟨ue⟩ and ⟨uCe⟩ are repurposed to stand for French /y/. This French /y/ seems to have been substituted by Englishmen for something along the lines of [ɛu], a native English diphthong. This French /y/ and the native [ɛu] would both eventually be pronounced as /ju/. Because the borrowed French /y/ was realised as something like [ɛu], native English words with [ɛu] would sometimes be respelled with ⟨ue⟩ or ⟨uCe⟩, which is why clue is not spelled clew today.


 * ⟨ð⟩ falls out of wide use by the end of the century.


 * The distinction between [x] and [ɣ] either collapses or people stop caring. [x] had usually been written ⟨h⟩ (more rarely ⟨ch⟩), and [ɣ] had usually been written ⟨ȝ⟩, but ⟨ȝ⟩ ends up being the normal way of writing both. Eventually ⟨ȝh⟩ becomes popular, perhaps from French influence of some kind.


 * ⟨æ⟩ seems to drop out of use by the end of this century. Its short value merged with ⟨a⟩, while its long value began to be written ⟨ea⟩.


 * ⟨hw⟩ has essentially been fully replaced with ⟨wh⟩ by the end of this century.


 * ⟨y⟩ for /j/ can be found in at least one manuscript {*St.Marg.(2) (Trin-C B.14.39)}.


 * ⟨hl⟩ fully dies off?


 * Vowel breaking leads to spellings like ⟨ou⟩ and ⟨ei⟩ in words like dough and height.

1300s

The English alphabet generally consists of the following letters: Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Xx Yy Þþ.

Jj, Vv, and Ww are slowly emerging as fullfledged letters?


 * ⟨uCe⟩ can still be found standing for /uː/, though ⟨ou⟩ is more popular.


 * ⟨ck⟩ rises as a popular spelling.


 * ⟨gh⟩ appears, apparently modelled on ⟨ȝh⟩, and taking the job of /x/.


 * ⟨y⟩ begins to be a popular alternative to ⟨ȝ⟩ for making /j/.


 * By the end of this century ⟨ȝ⟩ has lost much ground to ⟨y⟩ and ⟨gh⟩.


 * Loanwords from French with initial /dʒ/ can be found written with ⟨i⟩, ⟨ih⟩, and ⟨g⟩. Eventually ⟨j⟩ would be used for /dʒ/ instead of ⟨i⟩ and ⟨ih⟩.


 * ⟨dg⟩ shows up in at least one manuscript {Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.123}


 * ⟨ð⟩ is rare and seems to die in this century.


 * ⟨wl⟩ dies off and becomes ⟨l⟩.

1400s


 * ⟨th⟩ picks up in popularity, perhaps because ⟨þ⟩ had taken on a shape very similar to ⟨y⟩, and since ⟨y⟩ had recently solidified its role as a consonant, this may have caused ambiguity. The introduction of printing presses by William Caxton to England around the 1470s strikes a further blow to ⟨þ⟩, and also ⟨ȝ⟩, since neither of those letters had printing blocks for them.


 * ⟨x⟩ is used by some writers for /ʃ/.


 * ⟨h⟩ can still be found standing for /x/, though rarely.


 * ⟨dg⟩ becomes more popular, though ⟨gg⟩ still seems dominant.


 * ⟨ȝh⟩ is used in a few manuscripts for /j/, but the common use of ⟨ȝh⟩ is for /x/.

1500s


 * By the end of this century, spellings like bed have mostly replaced spellings like bedde.


 * ⟨dg⟩ becomes more common than ⟨gg⟩?

ATTESTATIONS
Early use of ⟨u⟩ for /v/:
 * London, British Library, Cotton Charters viii. 16
 * London, British Library, Cotton Tiberius A. XIII, ff. 1-118, f. 116v (s. xi) (?)
 * London, British Library, Add. Ch. 19796 (?)
 * a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1128 : God ælmihtig haue his milce ofer þæt wrecce stede.
 * a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1128 : . . . Dauid. ..

Use of ⟨ue⟩ and ⟨uCe⟩ before ⟨ou⟩ was borrowed:
 * c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)4/16 : Sonæ swa he ðes wateres swetnysse ifelde, þa wearð he swiðe bliðe on his mode & mid lude stefne to ðare ferde clypian ongan.
 * a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)89 : Ðo þe after him comen remden lude stefne, þus queðinde.
 * c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)314 : Þat nis noȝt soþ ich singe efne Mid fulle dreme & lude stefne.
 * a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)43/21 : Ðe gastliche hierdes..sculen..stieren ðo ðe bieð in ðare woreld, and ec..ðe bieð ute.
 * a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)122/487 : He þat is ute bi-loken, he is inne sone forȝeten.

Use of "E-I insertion":
 * c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)88/20 : Ic underȝite þæt ic wulle underȝyten & þencean, & ic wulle þæt ic underȝite & munen. (?)
 * Cd. Th. 26, 18; Gen. 408. : Onginnaþ ymb ða fyrde þencean (?)
 * Franks Casket : ᚷᛁᚢᚦᛖᚪᛋᚢ (?)

Long ⟨æ⟩ and ⟨ea⟩ merging to ⟨æ⟩ rather than ⟨ea⟩?:
 * c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5692 : Ofte heo letten grundhat læd [Otho: leod] gliden heom an heore hæfd.
 * c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7975 : Þe drake ræde for-wundede hine to dæðe.
 * c1175 Body & S.(1) (Bod 343)23 : Sone bið þin hæfet faxes bireued.
 * c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11799 : Þurrh þatt te laþe gast himm bæd All weorelldrichess ahhte.

Use of ⟨gg⟩ in Old English:
 * Beornas cómon wiggum gengan, on mearum módige, - Andr. Kmbl. 2192; An. 1097.
 * Ǽt ðǽre lange hegge ænde, - 385, 7.
 * Bebbanburh wæs ǽrost mid hegge betýned, and þár æfter mid wealle, - Chr. 547 ; P. 16, 20.
 * ceagga - S 971
 * gehægge - S 546

⟨uCe⟩ for /u:/ in the 1300s.
 * Boþe fire and wind lude sal crie: 'Louerd, nov let vs go to.' - ?c1335 Þe grace of godde (Hrl 913)125
 * Ðis wirm bitokneð þe man ðat oðer biswikeð, on stede er on stalle, stille er lude. - a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)377
 * Ac suffre al godes wille, Boþe lude and eke stille. - c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)584

Late ⟨h⟩ standing for /x/
 * a1400  Pistill of Susan 267       I am deolfolich dampned, and to deþ diht.
 * c1400  Test. Love iii. (R.)   The euen drauht of the wyer drawer, maketh the wyer to ben euen.
 * c1410 J. Walton tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Linc. Cathedral 103) 8   His lettres in-to Rome þan he sent For to destroyen al þat heresye..Theodoricus took þis wonder hyhe For he hym-self was only on of þo.
 * c1410 H. Lovelich Hist. Holy Grail liii. 96  Ȝif owre Rem with Owten kyng be Ony while, It Myhte sone thanne fallen into Exylle.
 * 1411  Rolls of Parl. III. 650/1   The sayd Robert wold nouht graunte that he had submytted hym in that mater.
 * 1413 tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage of Soul (Caxton)    (1859)      i. xix. 19   Long tyme he had hyd hym self neyhe me.
 * a1425  Rule St. Benet (Lansd.) (1902) 47  Ȝe may ga þe right gate to god alle-mihti.
 * 1427–9  Rolls of Parl. IV. 364/2   A redy Bekyn, wheryn shall be light gevyng by nyht, to alle the Vesselx that [etc.].
 * c1430  Pilgr. Lyf Manhode (1869)  iii. xxxvii. 155   She..a yens me strauhte hire handes.
 * 1435  in C. L. Kingsford Chron. London 73   That no man..shulde putte fforth ne profre no golde..but yff yt helde the weyht.
 * c1440  Promptorium Parvulorum 491/2   Thyht, hool fro brekynge, not brokyn.., integer. Thyht, not hool wythe-in, solidus.
 * 1442  Ayr Burgh Court Bks. Nov.   That na wyf met mele bot thai that aht it.
 * 1447  O. Bokenham Lives of Saints     (Arun.) (1938)      10563 (MED)   Hyr tym neyhyd ny..whan she shuld deye.
 * a1450  Seven Sages (Cambr. Dd.1.17) (1845) l. 1995 (MED)  The clerkys..louhe to scorne the emperour.
 * c1450  tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage Lyfe Manhode (Cambr.) (1869) 56 (MED)   The virgine marie..bar hire fader, that is..the charbuncle glisteringe that elumineth the niht of the world.
 * 1524  in Acts Parl. Scotl. (1875) XII. 41/1 Þe gold sall have comone coursse..þe Hary noble of Weiht for xlb..þe scottis demy of wecht xviijb.
 * 1531  W. Babe in F. W. Weaver Wells Wills (1890)     114   To my to dahtorrs a kow.
 * a1539  in J. C. Atkinson Cartularium Abbathiae de Rievalle (1889) 340  The Bruehouse vi kelynge throuhs of lede, ii coper vesselles.
 * 1573  G. Harvey Let.-bk. (1884) 3  Miht had alreddi overcumd riht.
 * 1614  J. Saris Jrnl. in Voy. Japan (1900) 204   Muske, worth the wayht in Siluer.

Written distinction between [ɣ] and [x]: a1300 Hit bilimpeð (Corp-O 59)7 : Þu ʒifst þe sunne to the daiʒ, þe mone to þe nichte.
 * c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)152 : Of briʒter howe [Jes-O: brihtur hewe], of uairur blo.
 * c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1681 : Þe þe hableþ steuene briʒte.
 * a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)233 : Ʒiure drihte..sweueð hus mid þiestre nicht.
 * c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25098 : Mi drihten..scop dæiʒes and nihtten [Otho: þis daies lihte].
 * a1275 On hire is al (Trin-C B.14.39)35 : Þu brutis us day, and eue nith [vrr. niʒt, nyhyt].
 * a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)17/30 : Þe uttreste is se þiesternesse of helle, ðar næure ʒiete liht ne cam.
 * c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)12/95 : Þet fur [in hell] ne ʒeueð na liht.

Early ⟨dg⟩:
 * (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.123 : Maxencius was overcome atte brydge Pount Milenum.

⟨hw⟩ in the 1200s:
 * c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)69/41 : Heo wulleþ freten þin fule hold, þeo hwule heo hit fin[deþ].
 * c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)32/538 : Hwet þe cader fulðen & bearmes umbe stunde to feskin & to fostrin hit se moni earm hwile.
 * c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Bod 34)32/222 : Þeos meiden wes bicluset þe hwile i cwarterne ant i cwalmhuse.