The Peripatetic History of Middle English *ѓթ 29/ܭࡃ/ and variants with /Ɲ /, starting as early as the 14th century. Thus, in effect,
systems (1.3b) and (1.3c) existed simultaneously in the precursor to Standard
English. As *ۘ NAME raised to /ܭࡃ/, the lower variant in the HEAP class
merged with NAME, and, at the same time, the higher variant merged with
Figure 1.4. Regions of England in which the SED found relics of a merger of SPEAK/
HEAP with NAME and/or DAY. Key: horizontal stripes, indicate that
SPEAK and/or HEAP is merged with NAME; vertical stripes, that
SPEAK and/or HEAP is merged with DAY; and cross-hatching, that
SPEAK and/or HEAP is merged with both NAME and DAY.