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たとえば具体的な単語として early という単語を OED で引くと、次のように
歴史的に early という単語が変化してきたのだと書いてある。

early
α. OE arlic (Northumbrian), OE arlice (Northumbrian), OE arlig (Northumbrian),
ME areli (north.), ME arely (north.), ME arli (north.), ME arliche, ME arlik (north.),
ME arly (chiefly north.), ME orly (north-east midl.); Eng. regional 18 airlie (Cumberland),
18 airly, 18– arly (north.); also Sc. pre-17 airelie, pre-17 airlie, pre-17 arelie, pre-17 arely,
pre-17 arly, pre-17 arlye, pre-17 ayerlie, pre-17 ayrelie, pre-17 ayrely, pre-17 ayrle, pre-17 ayrly,
pre-17 18 airly; also Irish English 18– airly; also U.S. regional 18 arly (New York), 18– airly.

β. OE ærlice (Northumbrian), ME earliche, ME eerly, ME erli, ME erliche,
ME erlike, ME erlyche, ME herliche, ME herly, ME–15 erely, ME–15 erly,
15–16 earely, 15–16 earli, 15–16 earlye, 15–17 earlie, 15– early;
also U.S. regional 19– oily (New York), 19– uhlly (south.).

γ. ME ȝerlyche, ME yerely, 15 yarly, 15 yerle, 15 yerly;
Eng. regional 18– yarly (Glos.), 18– yearly (south.); also Irish English 17 yearly;
also U.S. regional (south.) 18 yearly, 18 yuhlly.

出典：　OED Third Edition, March 2015