Introduction to Middle EnglishEdinburgh University Press, 2016 M09 9 - 192 pages GBS_insertPreviewButtonPopup('ISBN:9780748614813);An Introduction to Middle English is designed to provide undergraduate students of English historical linguistics with a concise description of the language during the period 1100-1500. Middle English, the language of Chaucer, is discussed in relation to both earlier and later stages in the history of English, and in relation to other languages with which it came into contact.Key Featurespresents the historical and geographical contexts of Middle Englishexamines the evidence for Middle English; introduces the principal features of Middle English spelling, pronunciation, grammar and vocabularyincludes an introduction to Middle English textual studies; selected Middle English texts, both literary and non-literary; notes, glossaries and annotated bibliographies; and questions for review.Most other introductory books on Middle English focus on literary rather than linguistic matters; this book is designed to redress the balance, by providing students of English language with an up-to-date, authoritative survey which takes account of recent trends in historical linguistics."e; |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 7 | |
3 Middle English in use | 26 |
4 Spellings and sounds | 40 |
5 The lexicon | 69 |
6 Grammar | 89 |
7 Looking forward | 126 |
Middle English texts | 142 |
Discussion of the exercises | 170 |
| 173 | |
| 178 | |
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Common terms and phrases
adjectives adopted appears became become beginning century chapter characteristic Chaucer’s Chaucerian English clauses common comparatively consonant construction contains continued copied course dative demonstrated derived determiners developed dialects discussion distinction distinguish earlier early edition Ellesmere English evidence example expressed feminine fourteenth French function further gender genitive given grammar important indicate inflexional initial instance known language late later Latin lexicon linguistic London manuscripts marked meaning Middle English Midlands Norse Northern noted noun origins paradigm passage pattern perhaps period person phrases plural poem possible practice present present-day probably pronoun pronunciation questions reading recorded reference reflect reflexes remains represent result scholars scribe seems short shows singular sounds Southern speech spelling standard stressed strong suggests syllables texts third usage varieties verb vocabulary vowels weak words writing written