Assignment # 3: Middle English

1. Approximately when was Middle English spoken?

Spoken between the Norman invasion of 1066 and about 1470,

2. What were the major factors which led to the development and the spread of Middle English?

began to become widespread, a process aided by the introduction of the printing press into England by William Caxton in the 1470s, and slightly later by Richard Pynson. By this time the Northumbrian dialect (prevalent in Northern England) spoken in southeast Scotland was developing into the Scots language. The language of England as spoken after this time, up to 1650, is known as Early Modern English.

3. Match the following Old English words with their Anglo-Norman equivalent:

A. Pig: Pork

B. Cow: Beef

C. Wood: Forest

D. Sheep: Mutton

E. House: Mansion

F. Worthy: Honourable

G. Bold: Corageous

4. Compare & contrast the structure of nouns, pronouns and verbs, between Middle English & Modern English.

Nouns

Despite losing the slightly more complex system of inflectional endings, Middle English retains two separate noun-ending patterns from Old English. Compare, for example, the early Modern English words engel (angel) and nome (name):

Verbs

As a general rule (and all these rules are general), the first person singular of present tense verbs ends in -e (ich here - "I hear"), the second person in -(e)st (þou spekest - "thou speakest"), and the third person in -eþ (he comeþ - "he cometh/he comes"). (þ is pronounced like the unvoiced th in "think"). In the past tense, weak verbs are formed by an -ed(e), -d(e) or -t(e) ending. These, without their personal endings, also form past participles, together with past-participle prefixes derived from the old English ge-: i-, y- and sometimes bi-. Strong verbs form their past tense by changing their stem vowel (e.g., binden -> bound), as in Modern English.

Pronouns

First and second pronouns survive largely unchanged, with only minor spelling variations. In the third person, the masculine accusative singular became 'him'. The feminine form was replaced by a form of the demonstrative that developed into 'she', but unsteadily—'ho' remains in some areas for a long time. The lack of a strong standard written form between the eleventh and the fifteenth century makes these changes hard to map

5. How is pronunciation different between Middle English

Generally, all letters in Middle English words were pronounced. (Silent letters in Modern English come from pronunciation shifts but continued spelling conventions.) Therefore 'knight' was pronounced /ˈknɪçt/ (with a pronounced K and a 'gh' as the 'ch' in German 'Knecht'), not /ˈnaɪt/ as in Modern English.In earlier Middle English, all written vowels were pronounced. By Chaucer's time, however, final -e had become silent in normal speech, but could be optionally pronounced in verse as the meter requires (but normally silent when the next word begins in a vowel). Chaucer follows these conventions: -e is silent in 'kowthe' and 'Thanne', but pronounced in 'straunge', 'ferne', 'ende',

6. What is the Chancery Standard, and how did it come into effect?

Chancery Standard was a written form of English used by government bureaucracy and for other official purposes from the late 14th century. It is believed to have contributed in a significant way to the development of the English language as spoken and written today. Because of the differing dialects of English spoken and written across the country at the time, the government required a clear and unambiguous form for use in its official documents. Chancery Standard was developed to meet this need.

7. Who wrote the Canterbury Tales?

Geoffrey Chaucer.

8. Describe the medieval pilgrims who journeyed from Canterbury to London.

Religious characters, such as a monk and a pardoner, travel alongside a sailor, miller, carpenter, and a knight, among others. When the group stops for the night, the host of the pilgrimage proposes that they all tell stories to each other along the way. The pilgrims agree to tell four stories each, two on the way to Canterbury, and two on the way back. The person who tells the best story, as determined by the host, will have his way paid by the rest of the group. The tale-telling begins with the knight and proceeds as the pilgrims near Canterbury, each person telling a story that reflects their social position, and some telling stories which are intended to make fun of others in the group.

9. Why did the pilgrims take this journey?

to pay their respects to the tomb of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral.

10. It is thought that some of the stories in The Canterbury Tales originated in Italy. What was the name of the Italian book and who wrote it?

the name The Decameron, and it was written by Giovanni Boccaccio

11. The Canterbury Tales is considered an extremely important book, both in terms of English Literature & in the history of English writing. In your opinion, why is this book so important?

because was the first English literary works in paper

12. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is:

A medieval romance poem, with Arthurian themes.

13. Who is Sir Gwain?

Is a knight of King Arthur Round Table.

14. What is the challenge that The Green Knight proposes to the Knights of the Round Table?

The Green knight offers to allow anyone to strike him with his axe if the challenger will take a return blow in a year and a day

15. What is the similarity between Sir Gwain and the Green Knight and the Irish tale of Cúchulainn?

the challenge of beheading

16. What is the importance of the pentagram/pentangle in the poem?

The poem describes the pentangle as a symbol of faithfulness and an "endless knot". In line 625, it is described as "a sign by Solomon". Solomon,was said to have the mark of the pentagram on his ring, which he received from the archangel Michael. The pentagram seal on this ring was said to give Solomon power over demons.

17. How are numbers used to symbolize events in the poem?

The poet highlights number symbolism to add symmetry and meaning to the poem. For example, three kisses are exchanged between Gawain and Bertilak's wife; Gawain is tempted by her on three separate days; Bertilak goes hunting three times, and the Green Knight swings at Gawain three times with his axe. The number two also appears repeatedly, as in the two beheading scenes, two confession scenes, and two castles.

18. What is the significance of Sir Gwain's neck wound?

The neck,specifically,was belived to correlate whit the part of the soul related to will,connecting the
reasoning part(the head) and the courageous part (the heart).gawain´s sin resulted from using hie will to separate reasoning from courage

19. Which actor played The Green Knight in the film adaptation, Sword of the Valiant?

Sean Connery.

20. In many ways this poem is, in the modern sense, a soap opera. Compare Sir Gwain and the Green Knight with a modern Chilean teleseries.

THE TRUTH I CANNOT GIVE MY OPINION ABOUT THIS QUESTION DO NOT SEE TELESERIES ,SORRY!.

answer: the following questions

1. When was Old English spoken?

between the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century.

2. Name 4 language groups which influenced the development of Old English.

Danelaw,Vikings,Anglo-Saxon,Celtic languages.

3. In the Phonology section, name 5 phonetical differences between Old English & Modern English.

-fricative(labiodental)= f (v)
-fricative(dental) = θ (ð)
-fricative(alveolar)= s (z)
-affricative(postalveolar)= tʃ (dʒ)
-fricative(palatal) = (ç)

4. Are there any similarites between Old English and Modern English? Name them.

Old English should not be regarded as a single monolithic entity just as Modern English is also not monolithic.

5. In the Orthography section, enlarge the picture of the runic alphabet. How many letters (runes) are there in this alphabet?

These are Thirty four

6. Which epic poem was originally written in Old English?

Some of the most important surviving works of Old English literature are Beowulf

7. In the See Also section, click on: Beowulf. Appoximately when was Beowulf written?

it was written from between the 8th^[1] to the 11th century

8. Even though Beowulf was written in England, the story takes place in which countries?

was written in England, but is set in Scandinavia.

9. In the poem, which 3 antagonists does Beowulf battle or fight against?

Grendel, Heorot and he fights an unnamed dragon.

10. What happens to Beowulf at the end of the story?

Beowulf is fatally wounded in the final battle, and after his death he is buried in a barrow in Geatland by his retainers.

11. Who was the author of Beowulf?

The earliest known owner is the 16th century scholar Laurence Nowell......but after whom the manuscript is named, though its official designation is Cotton Vitellius A.XV because it was one of Robert Bruce Cotton's holdings in the middle of the 17th century. Kevin Kiernan argues that Nowell most likely acquired it through William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley in 1563, when Nowell entered Cecil’s household as a tutor to his ward, Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford.^[5]

12. What were the titles and the dates of the two film versions of Beowulf?

Beowulf has been adapted a number of times for other novels, theater, and cinema, including the 1999 film Beowulf (1999 film) with Christopher Lambert and Rhona Mitra, the 2005 film Beowulf and Grendel and the 2007 animated film Beowulf directed by Robert Zemeckis.

My biography

My name is barabara albanes rubilar i was born in providencia(santiago) march eigth of nineteen eigthy eigth .My father (marcelo) live in france and he`s box of a big company , my mother live in chile whit me and she works in a school.I have one bother his name is matias and my sister name is joanna(for my father),my older brother his name is joaquin (for my mather).
I live in la florida whit my mother and my pets(dog and guinea pig).
all my life my mother and me we have travel for south of chile and we have change of house because the job of my mom.
i travel for europe three times for france, italy and spain.since was a child my father taught me the liking for traveling.
when out of school in age 2006 i`m study in the college UNAB the career bachiller en ciencias but in the first age i quit,in 2007 i work all the age like a promoter and now i`m study in college UCINF.
when i have money i spend in go to the concert of my favourite groups and tatoo my self . i have three tatoos in the back (sacred heart)in the shoulders two starts end the side of the belly a big coi fish.

slide of hopo

Holidays

begin and end with students taking exams, I hope they are good holiday for all ... much success! ... we are the second half

This is a warning for students of English on 2 July at 9.30 HRS. THE REUNION will to choose members of the Centre of pupils also where you can talk all items

prevented from attending because it is very important to everyone.

The place to address issues across THE REPORT IN THE U public notice.

first time in chile

So for the first four months it was bad and certainly best for you that i didn't carry a gun or know where you lay your head at night and it was not her as everyone had thought but you, how easily you were able to turn away from all that we were those things that you said admit it, your words they came as cheap as your breath and with even less meaning, you selfish fuck the next time that you tell me that you love me please look me in the eye so that i can see the twitch and i will fight to keep my balance
Pray to hold my temper ten years of history traded away for a nickel and the world's most crooked grin you would not know 'nobility' if it jumped right up and punched you in the face and this rock won't turn to a butterfly no matter how hard i squeeze but i will face it while you look the other way face it (always facing it) i believe that it's the only way so many moments wasted on you and this rage waiting for the dust to settle or these tears to dry or the axe to fall something has got to give.