Spelling Timeline

1000s

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.


 * Sometimes ‹th› is written instead of ‹þ› or ‹ð›.
 * Sometimes ‹u›, ‹uu›, or ‹w› is written instead of ‹ƿ›.
 * ‹k› sometimes shows up behind ‹e›, ‹i›, and ‹y› to fight ambiguity between /tʃ/ and /k/.

1100s

Noticeable French influence on English orthography begins.


 * In the Peterborough Chronicle a switch in handwriting from Insular to Carolingian happens on 88v. Carolingian ‹g› replaces Insular ‹g›, but ‹ȝ› does not appear. ‹ƿ› becomes ‹w› and ‹uu›.


 * The Ormulum uses ‹ch› for /tʃ/ (apparently borrowed from French), ‹sh› for /ʃ/, ‹ƿh› for /ʍ/, Carolingian ‹g› for /g/, and ‹ȝh› for /x/.

1200s


 * /ʃ/ is spelled ‹sc›, ‹sch›, ‹sh›, ‹ss›, ‹s›.


 * ‹ou› is borrowed from French and becomes a popular spelling for /u/, replacing ‹u›, ‹ue›, and ‹u_e›.


 * ‹ue› and ‹u_e› are repurposed to stand for French /y/ which is realised as /ju/. English words with a native /ju/ sound often take on ‹ue› and ‹u_e› spellings.


 * ‹ð› falls out of wide use by the end of the century.

1300s


 * ‹gh› appears, apparently modelled on ‹ȝh›.

1400s


 * ‹þ› and ‹ȝ› struggle to survive the printing press. Some printers use blocks for ‹y› and ‹z› to represent them.

1500s