Middle English and The Canterbury Tales

1. Comunicación y Gerencia Middle English and The Canterbury Tales

2. Middle English • Middle English is the name given by historical linguistics to the forms of the English Language spoken between the Norman invasion of 1066 and the mid-to-late 15th century, when the Chancery Standard, a form of London-based English, began to become widespread, a process aided by the introduction of the printing press into England by William Caxton in the 1470s.

3. The Great Vowel Shift The Great Vowel Shift was a major change in the pronunciation of the English language, generally accomplished in the fifteenth century, although evidence suggests it began as early as the fourteenth century. The shift continued for some time into the sixteenth century, spreading toward the non-metropolitan and non-port areas. It represented a change in the long vowels (i.e., a vowel shift).

4. How did it change, exactly? EXAMPLES: The vowel in the English word make was originally pronounced similar to Modern English father, the vowel in feet was originally a long Latin-like "e" sound; the vowel in mice was originally what the vowel in feet is now; the vowel in boot was originally a long Latin-like o sound; and the vowel in mouse was originally what the vowel in moose is now.

5. Phonetic Pronunciation of the Middle Ages • The General Prologue • Individual syllables are separated by hyphens (AH-preel) • Accented syllables are in uppercase • letters (PEAR-sed) • wahn thaht AH-preel wheht hehs SHOR-es SOOH-tuh • tha DROOH-tuh ahf MAR-cha hahth PEAR-sed toe thah RROOH-tah • AHN-da BAH-thed ah-vri veen ehn sweech lee-COUR • ahf wheech VEHR-too ehn-GEHN-dred ehs tha floohr • whan ZEH-frihs ehk wheht hehs SWEH-teh BREH-thuh • in -SPEER-ehd hath ahn ehvry hoht AHN-da hehth tha TAHND-ruh CROHP-pes • AHN-da tha YOH-nga SOH-na hahth in tha rahm hehs hahf cours ee-ROHN-nuh • AHN-da SMAH-luh FOO-les MAHCK-en meh-lo-DI-ah • thaht SLEHP-ehn all tha NEEK-tuh wheht Oh-pen EE-yuh • soh PRICK-eth hehm nah-CHOOHR en hehr cor-AH-jez • THAH-nuh LONG-en fohlk toe goh ahn pill-grah-MAH-jez!

6. CA State Standards • Reading Comprehension • By grade twelve, students read two million words annually on their own, including a wide variety of classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, and online information. In grades 9 and 10, students make substantial progress toward this goal. • Generate relevant questions about readings on issues that can be researched.

7. CA State Standards • Literary Response and Analysis • Determine Characters’ traits by what the characters say about themselves in narration, dialogue, dramatic monologue and soliloquy • Interpret and evaluate the impact of ambiguities, subtleties, contradictions, ironies, and incongruities in a text.