Etymograph > Indo-European > Old English > Rules > oe-long-ae-retraction

Source: Ringe 2014:199 (6.3.3), Hogg 2011:5.39

ǣ > ā / _C[+back] if next sound is not coronal obstruent

Examples

FromToGlossStepsExpected
PWGmc *slāpanslǣpansleepslāpan > slǣpan > slāpanslāpan
PWGmc *ārundīǣrendemessage, errandārundī > ǣrundī > ārundī > ārondeāronde
PWGmc *strālustrǣlarrowstrālu > strǣlu > strālu > strālstrāl
PGmc *sprēkō-sprǣċspeechsprēkō- > sprǣku > sprāku > sprācsprāc
PNWGmc *gābunġēafonto give.pst.plgābun > gǣβun > gāβun > gāfongāfon
PGmc *bērō-bārbierbērō- > bǣru > bāru > bār
PGmc *ēbanþ-ǣfeneveningēbanþ- > ǣβanþ > āβanþ > āfanþāfanþ
PGmc *ēlō-ǣlawlēlō- > ǣlu > ālu > ālāl

Notes

Ringe 2014:199: The stressed ǣ existed only in West Saxon dialects at the time. The results of this sound change were mostly levelled out.

Sequences

pwgmc-to-oe: previous oe-ae-retraction, next oe-palatalization
pgmc-to-oe: previous oe-ae-retraction, next oe-palatalization
pnwgmc-to-oe: previous oe-ae-retraction, next oe-palatalization