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THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD

THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD. General characteristics. Introduction. 1066 - the beginning of a new social and linguistic era Middle English runs from the beginning of the 12 th century until the middle if the 15 th the Chancery Standard

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THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD

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  1. THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD General characteristics

  2. Introduction • 1066 - the beginning of a new social and linguistic era • Middle English runs from the beginning of the 12th century until the middle if the 15th • the Chancery Standard • the 1470s - the printing press introduced inEngland by William Caxton

  3. Historical background • THE SECOND DANISH INVASION • ETHELRED • CNUT • The council of wise men chose Edward (the Confessor)

  4. King Edward (aka the Confessor) • Spent half his life in exile in Normandy (northern France) (while Cnut and sons ruled England) • Placed Norman friends in high offices in England • Had little interest in ruling the country • Moved the capital from Winchester to London • Died in 1066, leaving no children and no clear choice of heir

  5. Harold • the Battle of Hastings

  6. The influence of Scandinavian invasion and Norman conquest. • English and Scandinavian - related languages, diverged only a few hundred years before • a pidgin variety of speech • William of Normandy’s accession • French-speaking barons brought over their own retinues • French-speaking abbots and bishops

  7. Diglossia, triglossia • condition of a multilingual society in which different languages occupy different social niches - different functions:

  8. French ‘High’ functions: • ‘high’ culture: government, law, religion, education, literature, science, the arts, ‘high society’ English ‘Low’ functions: • ‘common folk’: home speech, folk/popular songs, tales, everyday commerce

  9. Language effects of the Scandinavian invasion . • Language effects of the Norman Conquest. • Middle English dialects.

  10. Middle English dialects • South Western • South Eastern • Northern • West Midland • East Midland

  11. Formation of the National Language • King John of England • King Philip of France • the Hundred Years War (1337-1453)

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