Knowra Middle English Middle English Middle English is the form of English used in England from about 1100 to 1500. It developed from Old English and preceded Early Modern English, with substantial regional and spelling variation.
Old English : The earliest recorded form of English, used in England before the Norman Conquest and continuing into the twelfth century. Middle English grew from Old English as its inflections weakened and its vocabulary changed.
Norman Conquest : The 1066 conquest of England by William, duke of Normandy, and his forces. The conquest altered England’s ruling class and intensified French influence on English.
Geoffrey Chaucer : The fourteenth-century English poet best known for The Canterbury Tales. His London-area English became unusually influential through the survival and circulation of his poetry.
The Canterbury Tales : Geoffrey Chaucer’s unfinished collection of stories told by pilgrims traveling to Canterbury. Its varied voices and London-area language make it a central Middle English literary work.
Early Modern English : The form of English used from around the late fifteenth century through the seventeenth century. It followed Middle English amid printing, standardization, and major changes in pronunciation.
Norman French : The variety of French spoken in England after the Norman Conquest, influential in government, law, and literature. Contact with Norman French brought many words into Middle English, especially in elite domains.
Danelaw : The region of England where Danish law and rule prevailed during the Viking Age. Earlier Norse settlement left Middle English with everyday words and grammatical influences.
William Langland : The presumed author of Piers Plowman, a major alliterative poem in Middle English. His poem demonstrates a literary tradition distinct from Chaucer’s rhyme and courtly forms.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight : A late fourteenth-century alliterative romance about a knight’s test of courage and honor. Its dialect and alliterative verse show Middle English far from the London literary norm.
Modern English : The contemporary stage of English, conventionally dated from around the eighteenth century onward. Modern English preserves many Middle English developments while differing in sound, spelling, and usage.
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