THE MODERN ENGLISH PERIOD: REGIONAL DIALECTS AND THE EMERGENCE OF A NATIONAL STANDARD

Abstract

The Modern English period, beginning around the late fifteenth century, marks a key stage in the development of English. During this era, pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar underwent important changes that gradually helped form a commonly accepted standard. This paper examines the growth of regional dialects across England, the social and geographical factors behind those dialects, and the ways the London variety became central to the national standard. It also considers the role of printing, schooling and social mobility in spreading a standard form while local dialects persisted as cultural markers.