Caunterbury

Middle English

Alternative forms

Canterbiri, Canterburi, Canterbury, Canturbery, Caunterbery, Caunterbiri, Caunterbiry, Caunterburi, Cawnterbery, Kanterburi, Kaunterburi

Etymology

From Old English Cantwarbyriġ, late form of Cantwara byriġ, dative and genitive of Cantwara burg.

The pronunciation with /au̯/ could just be analogy with variation between /au̯/ and /a/ in other words, but the influence of the lost /w/ in Old English Cantwara byriġ is also possible. Such a development is also seen in aunswere, variant of answere (“answer”); this is not a mere backspelling, as orthoepists commonly give pronunciations of answer with reflexes of /au̯/ in the Early Modern English period.^[1]^[2]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈkau̯ntərˌburiː/, /ˈkantərˌburiː/, /-ˌbɛriː/, /-ˌbiriː/

Proper noun

Caunterbury

Canterbury (a cathedral city in modern Kent, England)
- 1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “Here Bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunt́burẏ”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 2, recto:
  […] and specıallẏ from euerẏ shire' ende / Of Engelond to Caunterburẏ theẏ wende / The holẏ blıſful martır foꝛ to seke / That hem hath holpen whan þᵗ theẏ weere seeke […]
  […] and specially from every county's end / of England to Canterbury they went / to seek the holy blessed martyr / that had helped them when they were sick […]

Descendants

English: Canterbury
→ Old French: Canterbiri, Cantorebiri, Cantuorbiri
- French: Cantorbéry
→ Middle Welsh: Kawntlberi

References

^ Jespersen, Otto (1909) A Modern English Grammar on Historical Principles (Sammlung germanischer Elementar- und Handbücher; 9)‎^[1], volumes I: Sounds and Spellings, London: George Allen & Unwin, published 1961, § 3.97, page 109.
^ Dobson, E. J. (1957) English pronunciation 1500-1700‎^[2], second edition, volume II: Phonology, Oxford: Clarendon Press, published 1968, →OCLC, § 62, page 557.

[1] Jespersen, Otto (1909) A Modern English Grammar on Historical Principles (Sammlung germanischer Elementar- und Handbücher; 9)‎^[1], volumes I: Sounds and Spellings, London: George Allen & Unwin, published 1961, § 3.97, page 109.

[2] Dobson, E. J. (1957) English pronunciation 1500-1700‎^[2], second edition, volume II: Phonology, Oxford: Clarendon Press, published 1968, →OCLC, § 62, page 557.

[1]

[2]