Question

Which best explains the difference between the pronunciation of "wife" in Middle English and "wife" in Modern English? In Middle English, the final e is pronounced like the a in sofa. In Middle English, the i is pronounced like ee in meet. both of the above none of the above

Answer 1

Answer: None of the above explain the difference between the pronounciation of "wife" in Middle English and "wife" in Modern English.

Final "e" in Middle English is pronounced as schwa, the neutral vowel sound in Modern English.

Middle English was the form of English used in England from the time of the Norman Conquest  until the 16th century. The main difference between Middle English and Modern English is the pronunciation of the "long" vowels due to the Great Vowel Shift. In the case of "wife", in Middle English the final "e" is pronounced "uh", as an unstressed schwa (/ə/), and the German final "e", while in Modern English the final "e" is not pronounced.