Eng 121 10/03 Middle English

1. Eng 12110/03Middle English Topics for today: Differences between Old English and Middle English Why is modern English spelling so confusing?

2. Grammar: Old English to Middle English • What does it mean to say that a language is “inflected”?

3. Flexible Word Order ‘The woman saw the man.’ a. Seo cwen gesah Þone guman = b. Þone guman gesah seo cwen ‘The man saw the woman.’ Se guma gesah Þa cwen. = Þa cwen gesah se guma

4. the (nom) woman saw the (acc.) man • Seo cwen gesah Þone guman the (nom) man saw the (acc.) woman 2. Se guma gesah Þa cwen.

5. He gave me a book for my daughter’s birthday • NOMINATIVE: Subject • He • ACCUSATIVE: Direct object of a transitive verb • a book • GENITIVE: Indicates possession • my daughter’s • DATIVE: indirect object of verbs; objects of prepositions • me; birthday

6. Inflections stán (stone) Singular Plural Nominativese stán þá stánas Accusative þone stán þá stánasstánas Genitive þæs stánes þára stána Dative þæm stáne þæm stánum Question, Does Modern English have any evidence of inflections?

7. Is there a mistake in these sentences? The man go to the store. Me like to go to see they.

8. The man goes to the store. I like to go to see them.

9. Example of Middle English:Speculum Vitae (Mirror of Life) possibly by William of Nassyngton • In English tonge I schall you telle, • yif ye with me so longe wil dwelle. • No Latyn wil I speke no [nor] waste, • But Englisch, that men vse mast [most], • That can ech man vnderstonde, • That is born in Ingelande. • For that langage is most chewyd [shown], • Os wel among lered [learned] as lewyd [unlearned]. • Latyn, as I trowe [believe] , can nane [know none] • But tho [except those], that haueth it in scol tane. • And somme can frenssche and no Latyn, • That vsed hav cowrt and dwellen therein. • And somme can of Latyn a party [part] , • That can of Frensche but febly. • And somme vnderstonde wel Englysch, • That can nother Laty nor Frankys. • Bothe lered and lewed, olde and yonge, • Alle vnderstonden english tonge

10. What does it say? • How does it compare to Modern Day English?

11. Word order In English tonge I schall you telle, How would you say this in modern day English?

12. In English tonge I schall you telle, Sub V Obj Prep Phrase I shall tell you in English but… • Alle vnderstonden english tonge

13. Alle vnderstonden english tonge Sub Verb Object Everyone understands English Do you see and inflectional endings? Remember some of the reasons why they were lost?

14. Internal: word stress þæm stáne lack of regularity • External • Language contact between Old English and Old Norse • Influence of the Danish Kings

15. Spelling differences Example in of some different spellings of “might” in Middle English Might: mayht; micht; michthe; mihte; mist; mithe; mouthe; myht; myhte; maht; mahte; mihhte

16. Spelling exercise 1.  Look at texts A and B below in which certain sounds have been left out.  Which words do you recognize and which text is easier to read?  What implications does this have for possible spelling reforms? • Text A  Schrdr Sgnls H My B Rdy t Gv p Pwr n Grmn   Chncllr Grhrd Schrdr sgnld n Mndy h my b rdy t gv p pwr tw wks ftr Grmny's mst inconclusive pst-wr lctn, syng h wld ccpt whtvr hs prty dcds. • Text B  öe ia e a e ea o ie U oe i ea eo ea oee iae o oa he a e ea o ie u oe o ees ae ea o icocuie o-a eeo, ai e ou ae aee i a eie.

17. Schröder Signals He May Be Ready to Give Up Power in Germany Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder signaled on Monday he may be ready to give up power two weeks after Germany's most inconclusive post-war election, saying he would accept whatever his party decides.

18. Commonly misspelled words (examples) acceptable; accidentally believe changeable; conscience discipline; definitely embarrassment; experience foreign; gauge height; humorous

19. acceptable; accidentally believe changeable; conscience discipline; definitely embarrassment; experience foreign; gauge height; humorous