- published: 08 Jul 2008
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Middle English is the period in the history of the English language between the High and Late Middle Ages, or roughly during the four centuries between the late 11th and the late 15th century.
Middle English developed out of Late Old English in Norman England (1066–1154) and was spoken throughout the Plantagenet era (1154–1485). The Middle English period ended at about 1470, when the Chancery Standard, a form of London-based English, began to become widespread, a process aided by the introduction of the printing press to England by William Caxton in the late 1470s. By that time the variant of the Northumbrian dialect (prevalent in Northern England) spoken in southeast Scotland was developing into the Scots language. The language of England as used after 1470 and up to 1650 is known as Early Modern English.
Unlike Old English, which tended largely to adopt Late West Saxon scribal conventions in the period immediately before the Norman conquest of England, written Middle English displays a wide variety of scribal (and presumably dialectal) forms. This diversity suggests the gradual end of the role of Wessex as a focal point and trend-setter for writers and scribes, the emergence of more distinct local scribal styles and written dialects, and a general pattern of transition of activity over the centuries that followed, as Northumbria, East Anglia, and London successively emerged as major centres of literature, each with their own particular interests.
Middle English: Languages of the World: Introductory Overviews
The Canterbury Tales Prologue in Middle English
Readings in Old and Middle English
How to Speak Middle English: Part 1
How far back in time could you go and still understand English?
Old English and Middle English
Introduction to Medieval Literature: Old English, Middle English and Historical Context
John Skelton's "Speke Parott"
How to Speak Middle English: Vocabulary.
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales Prologue in Middle English (Not Complete)
HIS103 - The ME Period
Middle English Pronunciation
Middle English Pronunciation
The Lord's Prayer in Middle English