The subject of this paper is a synchronic analysis of the early West-Saxon vocalic system. The aim of the article was to determine the underlying vocalic system and to show some aspects of interrelation between phonology and morphology. The analysis of the early West-Saxon vocalic system is based on the theory of generative phonol'ogy as formulated by Noam Chomsky and Morris Halle in Sound Patterns of English, New York 1968. The description is based on the written evidence, namely, historical orthography and its interpretation, No diachronic considerationis were taken into account while stating the synchronic rules. Diachronic evidence was mentioned because some of the synchronic rules were eguivalent or similar to the diachronic ruleis. The analysis shows that there are fewer vowels in the unđerlying phonological matrix than the traditional grammars assume as it is evident from the given matrix. The phonological rules for the vowels in the early West-Saxon dialect are: breaking, palatal diphthongization, fronting, retraction, labialization, I-umlaut, unnoiuniding, tenising and laximg.
