Middle English Flashcards
What effect did the loss of Normandy have on the nobility of France and England and consequently on the English language? 3 + 2
- French was seen as the language of the enemy.
- Increased nationalism
- Nobility needed to choose between King of all England en King of France as liege
=> Consequence was that English became the primary language for communication in England.
=> Nobility had their children been taught in English.
In what way did the Hundred Years’ War probably contribute to the decline of French in England? 3
- French was the language of the enemy
- Nationalism emerged in England (against the French)
- Link between English and French noblemen became weaker
The arrival of foreigners during Henry III’s reign undoubtedly delayed the spread of English among the upper classes. In what ways did these events actually benefit the English language? 7
- Henry III was completely French in his taste and connections. He married Eleanor of Provence
- Brought relatives over from France = they got the good jobs = replaced all the officials
- Led to hostility towards the French
- Stimulated the consciousness of being English
- Bishops’ and Barons’ War to regain better positions for English noblemen
- Speaking English was a sign of rebellion against king and his family. English were fed up with favouritism, so they became nationalistic
- Provisions of Oxford = peace treaty
Peasants’ Revolt was a direct consequence of … 2
- Discontent
- Poll taxes (having to pay to be able to vote)
Which form of the adjective became the form for all cases by the close of the Middle English period? 3
- nominative singular was extended to all cases of the singular
- nominative plural to all cases of the plural
- both in the strong and weak declensions/inflections.
To what extent did the Norman Conquest affect the grammar of English? 3
- Removed the conservative influences (English noblemen replaced by French)
- language is extensively used in books and is only spoken by the influential educated class = influence language (no longer happening because French noblemen replaced English)
- Reduced English from a highly inflected language to an extremely analytic one.
What accounts for the differences in pronunciation between words introduced into English after the Norman Conquest and the corresponding words in Modern French? 3
- The French borrowed words did not undergo the natural changes of a living language like Modern French. * Pronounced in the ‘old fashioned’ way. Example OF feste => MF fête & ME feast. Forest-forêt, hostel-hôtel, beast-bête. (MF dropped the ‘s’)
- The Anglo-Norman or Anglo-French dialect also spoken in England differed from language in Paris (Central French). Cachier (ME)-chacier (AF)-chasser (MF).
What tendency may be observed in the following sets of synonyms: rise-mount-ascend, ask-question-interrogate, goodness-virtue-probity? 2
- The richness of English in synonyms is largely due to the mingling of Latin, French and native elements.
- It has been said that we have a synonym at each level- popular, literary, and learned. Examples: Fast-firm-secure, fire-flame-conflagration, fear-terror-trepidation, holy-sacred-consecrated, time-age-epoch
What are the five principal dialects of Middle English? 3pt
Northern, East Midland, West Midland, Southern Kentish.
The ‘London Standard’ had been accepted in the: - spoken language - written language - both
Written (London centre of politics, government and law, society = literature = written/accounting)
What explains the fact that the borrowing of French words begins to assume large proportions during the 2nd half of the 13th century, as the importance of the French lanuage in England is declining? Explanation + 10 categories
the French-speaking people started to speak English (novices), but often used words familiar to them, so passed on many French words. Especially with reference to:
- government
- military
- law
- church
- fashion
- food
- social life
- art
- learning
- medicine
Generally, what happened to inflectional endings of nouns in Middle English?
Analogy = they changed to what the masses used and their rules and patterns. Example; strong verbs became weak. Plural -s
What is the principle of analogy?
The tedency of a language to follow a certain pattern.
To what general classes do French loan words fall (5 classes)?
- government
- military
- law
- church
- fashion
- food
- social life
- art
- learning
- medicine
What was the ‘Hundred Years’ War’ and how long did it really last?
1337 - 1453 = 116 years
A series of conflicts fought between England and France over succession of the French throne.
Many major battles;
- Battle of Crécy 1346
- Battle of Agincourt 1415 = English victory Henry V
