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Part III the Middle English period

Check-up questions:

1. What event is considered to be the boundary between Old English and Middle English?

2. What changes occurred in OE after the Scandinavian invasion?

3. Describe the linguistic situation in England after the Norman Invasion.

4. What changes in spelling system took place after the Norman invasion? Why did they occur?

5. Why is the MidE called the period of leveling of endings?

6. Describe the main changes in phonetic system in Middle English.

7. Describe the main changes in grammar system in Middle English:

a) changes in the categories of noun;

b) changes in the categories of adjectives;

c) changes in the pronoun system and rise of the article;

d) changes in the categories of verb;

e) appearance of analytical verb forms;

f) changes in syntax.

8. Describe the main changes in vocabulary system in Middle English.

 

Practical assignments

 

Task 1. Explain the phonetic correspondences of the words.

OE MidE
wīsdom wisdom (wisdom)
talu tāle (tale)
specan spēken (speak)
gān gōn (go)
cnāwan knōwen (know)
bēam bēm (beam)
stānas stōnes (stones)
tǣcan tēchen (teach)
cycen kichen (kitchen)
tigele tīle (brick)
grēg grey (grey)

 

Task 2. Text analysis.

Extract from The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer

Prologue

Middle English text Modern English translation
Whan that Aprille with his showres soote The droughte of March hath perced to the roote, And bathed every veyne in swich licour, Of which vertu engendered is the flour When April with his sweet showers   The draught of March has pierced to the root And bathed every vein in such liquor, Of which (=whose) virtue (=power) engendered is the flower

 

Explain the development of the following words from OE to MidE.

Old English Middle English
scūr shour (shower)
wið with
swēte, swōte soote
rōte roote
baðian (weak verb, Class 2) bathed

 

Task 3. Text analysis.

Extract from The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer.

The Man of Law's Introduction.

Lines 1–15

Middle English Text Modern English translation
Oure Hooste saugh wel that the brighte sonne The ark of his artificial day hath ronne The ferthe part, and half an houre and moore; And though he were nat depe expert in loore, 5 He wiste it was the eightetethe day Of Aprill, that is messager to May; every tree Was as in lengthe the same quantitee   That was the body erect that caused it,   10 And therfore by the shadwe he took his wit That Phebus, which that shoon so clere and brighte, Degrees was fyve and fourty clombe on highte; And for that day, as in that latitude,   It was ten at the clokke, he gan conclude, 15 And sodeynly he plighte his hors aboute. Our good host saw well that the shining sun The are of artificial day had run   A quarter part, plus half an hour or more; And though not deeply expert in such lore, 5 He reckoned that it was the eighteenth day Of April, which is the prelude to May; And saw well that the shadow of each tree Was, as to length, of even quantity As was the body upright causing it.   10 And therefore by the shade he had the wit To know that Phoebus, shining there so bright, Had climbed degrees full forty-five in height; And that, that day, and in that latitude, It was ten of the clock, he did conclude, 15 And suddenly he put his horse about.

 

Glossary:

Phebus, noun Phoebus Apollo, the sun;

shadwe, noun shadow;

sodeynly, adv. Suddenly;

saugh, verb, pst. sg. Saw;

sonne, noun sun;

took his wit, idiomatic verbal phrase calculated;

wiste, verb, pst. sg. knew; wist pst. prtcpl. Known.

 

Read the passage in Middle English and:

1. Find new spelling variants introduced by French scribes.

2. Find adjectives and define their forms.

3. Find pronouns and explain which changes they underwent in Middle English.

4. Give Middle English forms of the OE verb rinnan (str., Class 5)-ran – runnon – runnen.

5. Find words borrowed from French (if you don’t know French and find it difficult to guess, make use of the etymological dictionary).

6. Explain the development of the following words from OE to MidE:

Old English Middle English
lār lore (Line 4)
sunne sonne (Line 1)
healf half (Line 3)
briht bright
dēop dēp
sceadu shadwe
scān (scinan, str. 1) shoon (Inf. schinen)
abūtān aboute
dæg day

 

Read more of The Canterbury Tales at http://www.librarius.com/ – Selectable tales in Middle english with an extensive hypertext glossary

 

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 1356

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