----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian M. Scott" <
BMScott@... net>
> It may not make sense, but it can happen: OE <ha:ligdo:m>
> became ME <halido:m> as part of a regular set of changes in
> trisyllabic words. In fact, non-northern varieties of ME
> eliminated /a:/ altogether, partly by shortening and partly
> by a change /a:/ > /O:/, but it still had length contrasts.
>
>
Brian
_________________
Not true. Former short /a/ in open syllables became lengthened in open syllables while former long /a:/ was raised to /O:/. Examples are <take>, pronounced /ta:k&/, <name>, pronounced /na:m&/, etc. Only later did this /a:/ become raised to /E:/ and then eventually /ej/.
Andrew>
.
