In the following exercise you will find a phonetic description of a Shakespearean poem as the poet himself might have read it out. Read it out and try to find the speech differences between Early Modern English and today's English.
Analyze the text:
- Modern English [] was dipthongized to []: bite an intermediate stage in its progress to present day []: bite [ ]. Find some examples in the text and describe their development.
- The diphtongization of Modern English "u" [] has reached [] in its progress to []: out []. Find some examples out of the text with the diphtongue [] and describe its development.
- Modern English [] that often is spelled as "ea" had not yet shifted in Standard English to present day []. It occurred in two variants, the close "e" [] like sea [] and open "e" [] like speak []. Write some examples out of the text.
Sonnet XI
As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou grow'st
In one of thine, from that which thou departest;
And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestow'st
Thou mayst call thine when thou from youth convertest.
Herein lives wisdom, beauty and increase;
Without this, folly, age and cold decay:
If all were minded so, the times should cease
And threescore year would make the world away.
Let those whom Nature hath not made for store,
Harsh, featureless and rude, barrenly perish:
Look, whom she best endow'd she gave the more;
Which bounteous gift thou shouldst in bounty cherish:
She carved thee for her seal, and meant thereby
Thou shouldst print more, not let that copy die.
Sonnet XI
