Phonological history of English consonants

This article describes those aspects of the phonological history of English which concern consonants. The phonological history of English consonants involves major shifts from Old English to Modern English, characterized by cluster simplifications, palatalization, voicing changes, and loss of sounds. Influences from Old Norse and also from French introduced new sounds, while internal processes like assimilation and lenition streamlined the system, eventually creating the contemporary consonant inventory of English.

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