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Introduction to Old and Middle English: Part II

Introduction to Old and Middle English: Part II. Syntax, Great Vowel Shift, Standardisation May 12, 2006 Andreas H. Jucker. Main features of Middle English. Less standardised, more dialectal variation in the written sources

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Introduction to Old and Middle English: Part II

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  1. Introduction to Old and Middle English: Part II Syntax, Great Vowel Shift, Standardisation May 12, 2006 Andreas H. Jucker

  2. Main featuresof Middle English • Less standardised, more dialectal variation in the written sources • Much simpler system of inflexions, especially in nouns and adjectives • Increased reliance on word-order and prepositions • Increasingly more mixed vocabulary (French, Latin, Scandinavian)

  3. Middle English Dialects Northern West Midland East Midland South West South East Source: Burnley 1983: xvi

  4. Reasons for levellingof case endings • Stress on root syllable • Consequent weakening and centralisation of unstressed syllables [-3n] • Loss of case marking function • Prepositions take over case marking function

  5. Nouns and adjectives • Nouns: • Sg.N/A/D: frend(e) • Sg. G: frendes • Pl.: frendes/frendis • Adjectives: • Definite (weak): this olde man • Indefinite (strong): an old man • Plural: olde bookes

  6. Personal pronouns Chaucer’s use:

  7. Demonstratives and relatives • Singular demonstratives • that, this • Plural demonstratives • tho,thise • thilke (that ilke ‘that same’) • Relative pronoun • which, that or zero (for personal and non-personal) • who does not occur • whos,whom, which after prepositions • Combinations: which that, the which, the which that

  8. Verbs • Strong: • knowe(n) knew- knowe(n) • breke(n) brak- broke(n) • Weak: • daunce(n) daunced daunced • Infinitive • Often ends in -en or -n • Third person, indicative • -eth (sg.); -en (pl.) • Subjunctive • Ending -e instead of -eth

  9. Syntax • Perfective • Transitives: with have • Intransitives: with be • Negation • ne in front of the verb (I ne can ne I ne mai) • Questions • Subject-verb inversion • How shal I do? • Can thow serven? • Whi seist thou so? Burrow & Turville-Petre 1992: 46-52

  10. Great vowel shift

  11. Great Vowel Shift: Examples

  12. Standardisation:The rise of East Midland • Time: end of 14th century and 15th century • Intermediate position between North and South • Large, populous and prosperous area • (Oxford), Cambridge • London (political and cultural centre) • Chancery clerks • Caxton

  13. William Caxton • ?1422-91, English printer and translator • Learned the technique of printing in Cologne • 1475 first book in English (printed in Bruges) • 1476 printing press in Westminster • 103 items published • His own translations • Chaucer, Gower Lydgate • Prose works in English, e.g. Chaucer’s Boethius • Miscellaneous

  14. A 16th century printing house

  15. Caxton’sChaucer

  16. Renaissance • 1531Henry VIII severs relations with Rome • Closing of monasteries,Church of England • Reduction of Latin in schools • Growth of patriotism • 1564-1616 William Shakespeare • 1588 victory over the Spanish Armada • expansion of English overseas

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