A Book of Middle English [Hardcover]

• 
  
• New, thoroughly revised edition of this essential Middle English textbook.
  
• Introduces the language of the time, giving guidance on pronunciation, spelling, grammar, metre, vocabulary and regional dialects.
  
• Now includes extracts from ‘Pearl’ and Chaucer’s ‘Troilus and Criseyde’.
  
• Bibliographic references have been updated throughout.
  
• Each text is accompanied by detailed notes.

List of Illustrations ix

Preface to the Third Edition xi

Abbreviations xii

Part one

1 Introducing Middle English 3

1.1 The Period 3

1.1.1 From Old to Middle English 3

1.1.2 From Middle to Modern English 4

1.2 Varieties of Middle English 5

1.2.1 Regional Dialects 5

1.2.2 Early and Late Middle English 8

1.2.3 Spelling 8

2 Pronouncing Middle English 9

2.1 Introduction 9

2.2 Vowels 10

2.2.1 The Long Vowels 10

2.2.2 The Short Vowels 11

2.2.3 Unstressed Final -e 11

2.2.4 The Diphthongs 12

2.3 Consonants 12

2.4 Stress 13

3 Vocabulary 14

3.1 Introduction 14

3.2 Scandinavian 14

3.3 English, French and Latin 15