Research Questions:
1. Illustrate how the variety in the forms of cheap developed over multiple centuries
2. Determine a root in the cause of the noticeable connotation shift from the original, more positive meaning into the modern and relatively negative uses

Results:
I found that there were four variations of form for cheap: noun, adjective, verb, and adverb. Cheap entered the English language as a noun originally meaning exchangeable commodities, an affordable item, an abundance, and a reference to a good purchase or place of purchase. My research shows that in the 17th century the noun form began to decrease in commonality in relation to the adjective use and by the 18th century it was obsolete. Initially the adjective form's meanings referred to an affordability and/or declaration of little effort in obtainability of the noun being described, as seen in my 16th century examples. Some uses of the adjective began to lean towards a more negative connotation by the 17th century. The introduction of the verb form in this same century was also subject to some negative association; however, in most cases the verb was in reference to a now obsolete use meaning to make a purchase or bargain for a good deal/lower price. Moving into the 18th century some uses of the adjective form held onto the neutral meaning referring to an inexpensiveness of cost, which can still be found today. Yet, within the 18th century samples, there is an evidently increasing negativity. According to my research, it is in this century that the adverb form began to appear. The 19th century uses made an interesting distinction in the negative association to cheap that is in direct correlation with the uses of the present day. In several text, some sampled on this site, there became an indication that the inexpensiveness of an item made it more useful and of more value to people of a low economic status. This indication placed a negative association on cheap because now people weren't just seeing the use in relation to items that were commonly found or in abundance, but there was also a sense that cheap items were meant for poor people. By the 20th century the form and meanings of cheap as well as the generally negative connotation similar to those of the current time were in full effect.