Regularized modal verbs in Middle English dialects

The article investigates an overlooked development in the history of English modals, namely regularization their plural inflection Middle (e.g. prs.ind.pl shulleþ for expected shullen ). Using LAEME and eLALME atlases a number electronic corpora, I document frequency dialectal distribution such regularized modal verbs. It is shown that shall was fairly common Late English, can less so, may only very sporadically attested. these forms shows clear areal pattern, being most numerous manuscripts from southwest Midlands. suggest likely explanation observed patterns interparadigmatic analogy with ‘anomalous’ verb will , which some dialects had developed same stem vowel as .