Peculiarities of OE diphthongs and their sources 8 diphthongs (4 short, 4 long of the same quality). The first element was usually stressed – it’s called nucleus. A closer sound. The second was unstressed – the glide. More open sound. They will later

Peculiarities of OE diphthongs and their sources

8 diphthongs (4 short, 4 long of the same quality). The first element was usually stressed – it’s called nucleus. A closer sound. The second was unstressed – the glide. More open sound. They will later disappear in ME and the absolutely new set of diphthongs will appear.\nIndependent Change:
•\tThe development of diphthongs (also early OE)\nIt was connected with 2 kinds of diphthongs:
•\ti-glide\nPG ai → ā OE ains → ān (one)
ei → ī meins → mīn (mine)
•\tu-glide\nPG au → ēā augo → ēage eye
eu → ēо̄
iu → eо̄
\nThe source of short diphthongs – Breaking and Palatalization.

•\tBreaking/Fracture (has been completed by the age of writing) (also early OE period, completed in fifth century)
\nDiphthongization of short vowels before certain consonant clusters
\na, e, æ → diphthongs before h, ll, l + cons, r + cons
e → eo herte → heorte heart
æ → ea æhta → eahta eight
•\tPalatalization
\ndiphthongization of vowels under the influence of initial consonants g, c and the consonant cluster sc (j, k’, sk’). Vowels which were preceded by this consonant were diphthongized.
\ne → ie seild → scield (shield)
ǣ → ea scǣl → sceal (shall)\no → eo seort → sceort (short)