Major English Writers 1

A Simplified Guide to the Sounds of Chaucer’s Middle English

Short Vowels

Short vowels are generally pronounced as they are in Modern English (a, e, i, o, u, as in “man, men, his, top, sun”)

Long Vowels

Vowels are long when they are doubled (as in “sweete”) or when they end a word (as in “be”); a, e, and o are also long when followed by a single consonant and a vowel (as in “name”).

Long “a” is pronounced like the “a” in “father.” (For example, the first syllable of Middle English “maken” would sound like Modern English “mock.”)
Long “e” is pronounced like the “a” in “name.” (For example, Middle English “be” sounds like Modern English “bay.”)
Long “i” is pronounced like the “i” in “machine.” (For example, Middle English “lif” (life) sounds like Modern English “leaf.”)
Long “o” is pronounced like the “o” in “wrote.” (For example, Middle English “to” sounds like Modern English “toe.”)
Long “u” (spelled “ou” or “ow”) is pronounced like the “oo” in “moose.” (For example, Middle English “hous” (house) rhymes with Modern English “moose.”)

Diphthongs

“ei,” “ey,” and “ay” are pronounced like the “ay” in Modern English “day.”
“au” and “aw” are pronounced like the “ou” in Modern English “house.”

Final "e"

Final “e” is pronounced like the “a” in Modern English “sofa” (“uh”). Final “e” is not sounded when the next word begins with a vowel or with "h" or when the extra syllable is not needed for the meter.

Consonants

Consonants are pronounced essentially the same as in Modern English, but all consonants are sounded. However, initial “h” generally is silent or almost silent. (For example, both the “k” and the “n” would be sounded in Middle English “knee.”)