Editing Vowel shift (section)

{{short description|Systematic change in the pronunciation of the vowel sounds of a language}}
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{{Sound change}}
A '''vowel shift''' is a systematic [[sound change]] in the [[pronunciation]] of the [[vowel]] sounds of a [[language]].

The best-known example in the [[English language]] is the [[Great Vowel Shift]], which began in the 15th century. The [[Greek language]] also underwent a vowel shift near the beginning of the [[Common Era]], which included [[iotacism]]. Among the [[Semitic languages]], the [[Canaanite languages]] underwent a [[Canaanite shift|shift]] in which [[Proto-Semitic]] *ā became ō in Proto-Canaanite (a language likely very similar to [[Biblical Hebrew]]).

A vowel shift can involve a merger of two previously different sounds, or it can be a [[chain shift]].