Here's a breakdown of its linguistic journey:
* Old English (c. 450-1150 AD): "wlisp" - This word signified a soft, hushed speech, not necessarily associated with a speech impediment.
* Middle English (c. 1150-1500 AD): "wlispe" - The word evolved slightly in spelling, but still held the meaning of "whispering."
* Modern English (c. 1500-present): "lisp" - The "w" gradually disappeared, and the meaning shifted to specifically refer to the speech impediment characterized by replacing "s" sounds with "th" sounds.
It's worth noting that the word "lisp" didn't acquire its specific meaning of the speech impediment until relatively late in its history. This evolution likely stemmed from the fact that the "th" sound was often considered softer and more subtle than the "s" sound, aligning with the original meaning of "whispering."