1. Introduction to Old and Middle English: Part II Syntax, Great Vowel Shift, Standardisation May 12, 2006 Andreas H. Jucker

2. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English Main features of Middle English Less standardised, more dialectal variation in the written sources Much simpler system of inflexions, especially in nouns and adjectives Increased reliance on word-order and prepositions Increasingly more mixed vocabulary (French, Latin, Scandinavian)

3. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English Middle English Dialects Northern East Midland South East South West West Midland Source: Burnley 1983: xvi

4. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English Reasons for levelling of case endings Stress on root syllable Consequent weakening and centralisation of unstressed syllables [-3n] Loss of case marking function Prepositions take over case marking function

5. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English Nouns and adjectives Nouns: Sg.N/A/D: frend(e) Sg. G: frendes Pl.: frendes/frendis Adjectives: Definite (weak): this olde man Indefinite (strong): an old man Plural: olde bookes

6. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English Personal pronouns Chaucer’s use:

7. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English Demonstratives and relatives Singular demonstratives that, this Plural demonstratives tho,thise thilke (that ilke ‘that same’) Relative pronoun which, that or zero (for personal and non-personal) who does not occur whos,whom, which after prepositions Combinations: which that, the which, the which that

8. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English Verbs Strong: knowe(n)knew-knowe(n) breke(n)brak- broke(n) Weak: daunce(n)daunceddaunced Infinitive Often ends in -en or -n Third person, indicative -eth (sg.); -en (pl.) Subjunctive Ending -e instead of -eth

9. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English Syntax Perfective Transitives: with have Intransitives: with be Negation ne in front of the verb (I ne can ne I ne mai) Questions Subject-verb inversion How shal I do? Can thow serven? Whi seist thou so? Burrow & Turville-Petre 1992: 46-52

10. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English Great vowel shift

11. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English Great Vowel Shift: Examples

12. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English Standardisation: The rise of East Midland Time: end of 14th century and 15th century Intermediate position between North and South Large, populous and prosperous area (Oxford), Cambridge London (political and cultural centre) Chancery clerks Caxton

13. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English William Caxton ?1422-91, English printer and translator Learned the technique of printing in Cologne 1475 first book in English (printed in Bruges) 1476 printing press in Westminster 103 items published His own translations Chaucer, Gower Lydgate Prose works in English, e.g. Chaucer’s Boethius Miscellaneous

14. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English A 16 th century printing house

15. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English

16. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English Caxton’s Chaucer

17. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English

18. ahj/Summer semester 20006 Introduction to Old and Middle English Renaissance 1531Henry VIII severs relations with Rome Closing of monasteries,Church of England Reduction of Latin in schools Growth of patriotism 1564-1616 William Shakespeare 1588 victory over the Spanish Armada expansion of English overseas