Pronouncing A
Long Vowel

Front unrounded diphthong, starting from close-mid then falling to near-close.

eɪ

As seen on television

• Face /feɪs/
• Make /meɪk/
• Cake /keɪk/
• Eight /eɪt/
• Gray /ɡreɪ/
• Aim /eɪm/
• Break /breɪk/

Long A in Great Vowel Shift

## In context of [[Great Vowel Shift]]

> [!important]
> Unlike how the other vowels shifted, the long a experienced multiple changes over time.


Middle English /aː/
        ↓
      /æː/
        ↓
      /ɛː/
        ↓
      /eː/
        ↓
Modern /eɪ/

During the Great Vowel Shift:

- Long **high vowels** couldn't move any higher, so they **broke into diphthongs**.
- Lower long vowels **moved upward** into the spaces the high vowels had vacated.
- Once Middle English /aː/ had risen through /ɛː/ to /eː/, this vowel later diphthongized into Modern English /eɪ/.

This is often described as a **chain shift**: as one vowel moved, it created space that another vowel moved into, preserving distinctions between vowels.

---
## Classical Great Vowel Shift chart

![Pasted image 20260721150910.png](/img/user/attachments/Pasted%20image%2020260721150910.png)

The GVS chart is simplified.
While other words became Monothong when shifted, long a became a [[Diphthong]] 

- Middle English **/iː/** became **/aɪ/**
- Middle English **/uː/** became **/aʊ/**
- Middle English **/aː/** did **not** become another long monophthong. Instead, over time it became the diphthong **/eɪ/**.

Many simplified charts stop before showing these final modern diphthongs (except for /aɪ/ and /aʊ/, since those are the most dramatic changes).

![Vowel shift chart full.jpg](/img/user/attachments/Vowel%20shift%20chart%20full.jpg)

How to make long a sound

It is a [[Diphthong]]
To pronounce the sound, begin with the tongue pushed somewhat forward but in a neutral position in the mouth. Then, as the jaw closes slightly, move the body of the tongue upward until it is near the [tooth ridge](https://amanda-lillet.squarespace.com/the-vocal-tract)--similar to the position of a '[y sound](https://pronuncian.com/pronounce-y-sound)' **/y/**. The front sides of the tongue touch the inside of the top teeth at the end of the sound.

---
![[Pasted image 20260723145820.png]]

<iframe width="400" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9o8TMoGb7A?si=2lNNyQIt6f_Ro-KA&amp;controls=0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

When it is made:

Spellings representing long a

1. Silent E

2. In Open-Stressed syllables

What when syllable is not stressed but open?

Then the rule becomes much weaker.
Stress is important because English unstressed vowels tend to reduce to Schwa A ə or /ɪ/.

More examples

3. Before some nasals

flowchart TD

    A["Old French nasal vowel
(loanwords)"]
    B["Middle English
Two competing pronunciations

/a/ ↔ /au/
before m, n, ng"]

    A --> B

%% ------------------------
%% /a/ branch
%% ------------------------

    B --> C["Stayed short"]
    C --> D["Modern /æ/
TRAP lexical set"]
    D --> D1["Examples:
dance (GA)
chance (GA)
branch (GA)"]

%% ------------------------
%% /au/ branch
%% ------------------------

    B --> E["/au/ pronunciation"]

    %% Normal development
    E --> F["Normal development"]
    F --> G["/ɔː/
THOUGHT lexical set"]
    G --> G1["Examples:
daughter
paw"]

    %% Early lengthening
    E --> H["Lengthened BEFORE
Great Vowel Shift"]
    H --> I["/aː/"]
    I --> J["Great Vowel Shift"]
    J --> K["/eɪ/
FACE lexical set"]
    K --> K1["Examples:
change
angel"]

    %% Late lengthening
    E --> L["Lengthened AFTER
Great Vowel Shift"]
    L --> M["Did NOT participate in GVS"]
    M --> N["/ɑː/
BATH / PALM lexical set"]
    N --> N1["Examples:
dance (RP)
example"]

Quiz

These questions are based on the attached PDF.

Which IPA symbol represents the modern long A sound discussed in the PDF?
[ ] /æ/
[r] /eɪ/
[ ] /aɪ/
[ ] /eː/

The document identifies the modern long A as the diphthong /eɪ/.

The long A sound is best classified as a...
[ ] monophthong
[ ] triphthong
[r] diphthong
[ ] r-controlled vowel

The PDF explicitly describes /eɪ/ as a diphthong.

Which word is given as an example of /eɪ/?
[ ] cat
[r] face
[ ] cot
[ ] full

'Face' is one of the example words.

According to the PDF, Middle English long A ultimately became...
[ ] /æ/
[ ] /eː/
[r] /eɪ/
[ ] /aʊ/

The final stage shown is Modern English /eɪ/.

Which vowel changed into /aɪ/ during the Great Vowel Shift?
[ ] Middle English /uː/
[r] Middle English /iː/
[ ] Middle English /aː/
[ ] Middle English /oː/

The chart states /iː/ became /aɪ/.

Which vowel changed into /aʊ/?
[ ] /iː/
[ ] /eː/
[r] /uː/
[ ] /aː/

The PDF states Middle English /uː/ became /aʊ/.

Why did high long vowels become diphthongs?
[ ] They merged
[r] They could not move higher
[ ] They shortened
[ ] They disappeared

The chain shift explanation says they could not move higher.

The Great Vowel Shift is described primarily as a...
[ ] random change
[r] chain shift
[ ] stress shift
[ ] consonant shift

The document calls it a chain shift.

Which spelling commonly represents /eɪ/?
[ ] oa
[ ] oi
[r] ai
[ ] oo

The spelling table lists ai.

Which spelling is NOT listed for /eɪ/?
[ ] ay
[ ] ei
[r] igh
[ ] ey

'igh' is not listed.

Which word illustrates the spelling 'ea' for /eɪ/?
[ ] bread
[r] great
[ ] head
[ ] dead

The table gives 'great'.

Which word illustrates 'eigh'?
[ ] weight
[r] eight
[ ] height
[ ] neighbor

The table uses 'eight'.

Adding silent e changes cap into...
[r] cape
[ ] caper
[ ] cop
[ ] cope

The example table shows cap → cape.

The vowel in cap changes from...
[ ] /ɑː/ to /eɪ/
[r] /æ/ to /eɪ/
[ ] /ɪ/ to /eɪ/
[ ] /ʌ/ to /eɪ/

The silent-e examples show /æ/ → /eɪ/.

Which pair demonstrates the silent-e effect?
[r] mad–made
[ ] bag–beg
[ ] pin–pineapple
[ ] dog–dogs

The PDF includes mad → made.

Which example is used for 'ay'?
[ ] rain
[r] day
[ ] they
[ ] great

The spelling table lists day.

Which example is used for 'ey'?
[c] they
[w] grey
[ ] obey
[ ] prey

The table specifically lists they.

The tongue begins in what general position?
[ ] back and high
[r] forward and neutral
[ ] low and back
[ ] central and low

The articulation section says somewhat forward and neutral.

As /eɪ/ ends, the tongue moves...
[w] downward
[ ] backward
[c] upward
[ ] unchanged

The body of the tongue moves upward.

Near the end of /eɪ/, the tongue approaches the...
[ ] soft palate
[r] tooth ridge
[ ] uvula
[ ] pharynx

The PDF mentions the tooth ridge.

The jaw during /eɪ/...
[ ] opens wider
[r] closes slightly
[ ] does not move
[ ] drops completely

The articulation instructions specify slight closing.

Which word is NOT an example on page 1?
[w] break
[ ] aim
[ ] gray
[c] boat

Boat is not listed among the introductory examples.

The long A sound starts from a...
[r] close-mid position
[ ] open position
[ ] back rounded position
[ ] high back position

The opening description states it starts from close-mid.

Which stage immediately precedes Modern /eɪ/?
[ ] /æː/
[r] /eː/
[ ] /ɛː/
[ ] /aː/

The sequence ends ... /eː/ → /eɪ/.

According to the PDF, simplified GVS charts often omit...
[ ] all diphthongs
[r] modern diphthongs except dramatic ones
[ ] Middle English vowels
[ ] IPA symbols

The document notes many charts stop before final modern diphthongs.

Which word exemplifies the 'ei' spelling?
[c] vein
[ ] veil
[w] eight
[ ] rein

The table uses vein.

Which pair appears in the silent-e examples?
[c] rat–rate
[w] bit–bite
[ ] rid–ride
[ ] hop–hope

The final page includes rat → rate.

Plane differs from plan mainly because...
[ ] it adds a prefix
[r] it adds silent e
[ ] it doubles n
[ ] it changes stress

The PDF attributes the pronunciation change to silent e.

Which spelling pattern is associated with 'make'?
[ ] ai
[r] a_e
[ ] ay
[ ] ea

The spelling table lists a_e → make.

According to the PDF, long A experienced...
[ ] one historical change
[r] multiple historical changes
[ ] no historical changes
[ ] only spelling changes

The PDF explicitly says it experienced multiple changes.