vowel shift
[/ˈvaʊəl ʃɪft/]
nounpl: vowel shifts
mudança vocálica
1. A systematic change in the pronunciation of vowels in a language over time, affecting multiple vowels in a chain reaction
The Great Vowel Shift transformed English pronunciation from Middle English to Modern English.
A Grande Mudança Vocálica transformou a pronúncia do inglês do Inglês Médio para o Inglês Moderno.
2. A phonological process where vowel qualities shift to different positions in the vowel space
Linguists study vowel shift to understand how languages evolve phonetically.
Linguistas estudam a mudança vocálica para entender como as línguas evoluem foneticamente.
This is primarily an academic and linguistic term used in educational contexts. The Great Vowel Shift is particularly significant in English language history education in both the USA and Brazil. It represents a key example of how languages naturally evolve over centuries, making it important for understanding English etymology and pronunciation variations.
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