MIDDLE ENGLISH

MIDDLE MIDDLE ENGLISHENGLISH

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

For three centuries, there was no single For three centuries, there was no single form of English recognized as a norm, and form of English recognized as a norm, and people wrote in the language of their own people wrote in the language of their own region. Early Middle English texts give the region. Early Middle English texts give the impression of a mixture of dialects, without impression of a mixture of dialects, without many common conventions in many common conventions in pronunciation or spelling, and in grammar pronunciation or spelling, and in grammar and phonology.and phonology.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDHISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The Middle English PeriodThe Middle English Period11th Cent: NORMAN CONQUEST11th Cent: NORMAN CONQUEST

English is no longer a writen languageEnglish is no longer a writen languageEnglish ceased to be the language of the English ceased to be the language of the

governing classesgoverning classes

The Middle English PeriodThe Middle English Period

12th Cent: TRILINGUAL ENGLAND12th Cent: TRILINGUAL ENGLANDFRENH: Literacyand court tongueFRENH: Literacyand court tongueLATIN: Church and legal documentsLATIN: Church and legal documentsENGLISH: Common intercourseENGLISH: Common intercourse


13th Cent: LOSS OF NORMANDY13th Cent: LOSS OF NORMANDYFRENCH: A foreign tongueFRENCH: A foreign tongueNobility educate their Nobility educate their

children in Englishchildren in English


14th Cent: THE HUNDRED YEARS’ WAR14th Cent: THE HUNDRED YEARS’ WAR

THE BLACK DEATHTHE BLACK DEATHENGLISH was reinstated ENGLISH was reinstated

in schoolsin schoolsParliament was reopened Parliament was reopened

in Englishin English


15th Cent: ENGLISH IS THE 15th Cent: ENGLISH IS THE

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

OF THE COURTOF THE COURT

FRENCH INFLUENCEFRENCH INFLUENCE

FRENCH INFLUENCEFRENCH INFLUENCE The Norman Conquest of 1066 had a profound The Norman Conquest of 1066 had a profound

influence in the English Language. For some influence in the English Language. For some centuries, English ceased to be the language of centuries, English ceased to be the language of the governing classes.the governing classes.

French became the language of the upper French became the language of the upper classes in England simply because it was the classes in England simply because it was the language of the conquerors.language of the conquerors.

The native aristocracy was destroyed, the The native aristocracy was destroyed, the church and education were also dominated by church and education were also dominated by them, so French was the language of aristocracy them, so French was the language of aristocracy and the court, and anybody who wanted to get and the court, and anybody who wanted to get in the world, had to learn French in the world, had to learn French

FRENCH INFLUENCEFRENCH INFLUENCE

While English was left without a standard literary While English was left without a standard literary dialect, the prestige languages in England were dialect, the prestige languages in England were Latin and French. Latin was the language of the Latin and French. Latin was the language of the church, of scholarship, and of international church, of scholarship, and of international communication, but it gradually gave way to communication, but it gradually gave way to french.french.

In the 13th century, French was stiil being In the 13th century, French was stiil being spoken at the English court, and literature was spoken at the English court, and literature was being written in French for the nobility of being written in French for the nobility of England. However, it was never the mother England. However, it was never the mother tongue of the majority of the populationtongue of the majority of the population

FRENCH LOAN WORDSFRENCH LOAN WORDS

French left its mark on English. Its main French left its mark on English. Its main effect was on the vocabulary, with the effect was on the vocabulary, with the introduction of a number of French-loan introduction of a number of French-loan words into the language.words into the language.

Many of the French loan words reflect Many of the French loan words reflect cultral and political dominance. French cultral and political dominance. French words were entirely new ones, with no words were entirely new ones, with no obvious resemblance to anything in obvious resemblance to anything in English.English.


LAW AND LAW AND GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

Government-country-Government-country-parliament-court-judge-parliament-court-judge-jury-crime-prisonjury-crime-prison

CHURCHCHURCH Abbot-frier-prayer priest-Abbot-frier-prayer priest-religion-saintreligion-saint

NOBILITYNOBILITY Baron/ess-count/ess-Baron/ess-count/ess-prince/ss-noble-royalprince/ss-noble-royal

MILITARYMILITARY Army-battle-enemy-Army-battle-enemy-sergeant-soldier-sergeant-soldier-


COOKINGCOOKING Beef-boil-salmon-fry-pork-vealBeef-boil-salmon-fry-pork-veal

CULTURE AND LUXURY GOODSCULTURE AND LUXURY GOODS Art-bracelet-painting-sculture-Art-bracelet-painting-sculture-diamond-jewl-dance-clarinetdiamond-jewl-dance-clarinet

LEARNINGLEARNING Geometry-noun-paper-pen-grammarGeometry-noun-paper-pen-grammar

OTHERSOTHERS Adventure-courage-fruit-letter-Adventure-courage-fruit-letter-literature-male-female-mirrorliterature-male-female-mirror

FRENCH LOAN WORDSFRENCH LOAN WORDS Things connected with ordinary people tend Things connected with ordinary people tend

to retain their English names, whereas upper-to retain their English names, whereas upper-class objects often have French names. class objects often have French names. English English FrenchFrenchHome/house -Manor/palaceHome/house -Manor/palaceChild/daughter/sonChild/daughter/son - Heir- HeirSmell Smell -Odour-OdourAsk Ask -Demand-DemandAnswer Answer -Reply-Reply

MIDDLE ENGLISH MIDDLE ENGLISH DIALECTSDIALECTS

MIDDLE ENGLISH DIALECTSMIDDLE ENGLISH DIALECTS

For three centuries there was no single For three centuries there was no single form of English recognized as norm. Early form of English recognized as norm. Early Middle English texts give the impression of Middle English texts give the impression of a mixture of dialects without common a mixture of dialects without common conventions in pronunciation or spelling conventions in pronunciation or spelling and in grammar and phonologyand in grammar and phonology

MIDDLE ENGLISH DIALECTSMIDDLE ENGLISH DIALECTS

There were a number of dialects features There were a number of dialects features which were typical of different regions. The which were typical of different regions. The regions are : regions are : Northern (Scots and Northern English)Northern (Scots and Northern English)East MiddlandEast MiddlandWest MiddlandWest MiddlandSouth EasternSouth EasternSouthernSouthern

THE USE OF STANDARD THE USE OF STANDARD ENGLILSHENGLILSH

STANDARD ENGLISHSTANDARD ENGLISH

An event which contributed to the triumph An event which contributed to the triumph of Engish was king John’s loss of of Engish was king John’s loss of Normandy to the French crown. Moreover Normandy to the French crown. Moreover a national feeling was begining to arise in a national feeling was begining to arise in England which must have raised the England which must have raised the prestige of the English languageprestige of the English language

The 14th century sees the definitive The 14th century sees the definitive triumph of Englishtriumph of English

STANDARD ENGLISHSTANDARD ENGLISH

With the re-establishment of English as the With the re-establishment of English as the language of administration and culture, came language of administration and culture, came the re-establishment of an English literary the re-establishment of an English literary languagelanguage

London language grew, and inthe15th century, London language grew, and inthe15th century, its infuence was increased bythe introduction of its infuence was increased bythe introduction of printing. In the 16th century, there was printing. In the 16th century, there was recognition ofthelanguageof the Court as the recognition ofthelanguageof the Court as the t”best” English.t”best” English.

The literary language had been standardized by The literary language had been standardized by theend ofthe 15 centurytheend ofthe 15 century

CHARACTERISTICS OF CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LANGUAGETHE LANGUAGE

GRAMMAR AND SYNTAXGRAMMAR AND SYNTAXThe plural /s/ and /es/ were universals in The plural /s/ and /es/ were universals in

the north while /n/ and /en/ were favoured the north while /n/ and /en/ were favoured in the south. In the end the /s/ plural in the south. In the end the /s/ plural triumphed.triumphed.

The different article forms gave way to The different article forms gave way to /the//the/

The pronouns /he-here-hem/ were The pronouns /he-here-hem/ were replaced by /they-their-them/replaced by /they-their-them/

The /s/ genitive survived well but there The /s/ genitive survived well but there started a new mode of indicatingpossesion started a new mode of indicatingpossesion with “of”with “of”

In questions there were a gradual In questions there were a gradual development of auxiliaries /do-did/development of auxiliaries /do-did/

The relative pronoun was often ommited.The relative pronoun was often ommited. The pronouns /who-which-that/ emerged The pronouns /who-which-that/ emerged

though not yet specialized as in Modern though not yet specialized as in Modern EnglishEnglish

MIDDLE ENGLISH

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