During the Early Modern English period, spelling varied a lot, even per person. To reduce linguistic variation such as this, many spelling and grammar manuals were published during that time, in...Show moreDuring the Early Modern English period, spelling varied a lot, even per person. To reduce linguistic variation such as this, many spelling and grammar manuals were published during that time, in order to achieve a set spelling system. Many people at the start of the EModE period did not know how to write "correctly" so when they wrote letters, it usually reflected their speech. However, as the period progressed, more and more people learned how to read and write, and spelling was slowly being regularised. My aim in this thesis is to find out if these individuals used the spelling practices laid out in the spelling and grammar manuals; particularly, if they used these practices in private correspondence. These types of letters are prone to linguistic variation since the authors are not forced to use correct spelling practices.Show less
