Middle English - Charmaine Rock

The Norman Invasion of England

Oct 14, 1066

King Harold was killed in the Battle of Hastings and thus leaves William of Normandy to take the English throne. After he is crowned the King of England, Norman French becomes the language of the courts and upper classes and Latin is used in churches and schools. English remains the language spoken by the majority but is no longer used in the written form.

University of Oxford

Jan 1, 1096

Teaching at Oxford was established however there is no known foundation date for the University of Oxford.

Phonolgy

Jan 1, 1100

Different dialects of the Middle English Language were often shown in the pronounciation and spelling of words. Linguists believe there is a relationship between the spelling and pronounciation of a word, Examples to support this would be 'husbond' and 'ryight'.

Grammar

Jan 1, 1100

Middle English grammar focused on syntax and varies greatly from that of Old English. Thus, this makes it easier to understand Middle English writing than that from the eariler era. The fact that English had only been a spoken language for a long period of time had a great effect on the English Language, especially in the written form as it had not been put on paper.
Plurals were marks with a suffix however some spellings were inconsistant with this, such as "worchipful".

Cliches

Jan 1, 1100

An example of a cliche from this period would be, "To lark about"
Meaning: To play around, frolic; to go on a spree.
Origin: This expression comes from the Middle English 'laik' (to play) and the Old English 'lac' (a contest). To Skylark is a modern extension.

Henry II, Lord of Ireland

Oct 18, 1171

Henry II declares himself overlord of Ireland, introducing Norman French and English to the country.

Loss of the Duchy of Normandy

Jan 1, 1204

King John loses control of the Duchy of Normandy and other French lands. England is now the only home of the Norman French and English.

Magna Carta

Jun 15, 1215

King John signs the Magna Carta ("Great Charter").
The Magna Carta is a critical document in the long historical process leading to the rule of constitutional law in the English-speaking world. It is also called The Great Charter of the Liberties of England.

Provisions of Oxford

Jan 1, 1258

King Henry III is forced to accept the Provisions of Oxford, which establish a Council to oversee the administration of the government. These documents, though annulled a few years later, are generally regarded as England's first written constitution.

The Black Death

Jan 1, 1348

The outbreak of the bubonic plague kills roughly one-third of England's population.This allows for the poorer classes in England to demand more money from the higher classes because there are not as many suppliers of crops and daily necessities. The revival of the English language begins.

The Great Vowel Shift

Jan 1, 1350

The Great Vowel Shit is systemic change in the pronunciation of English vowels that occurred in southern England during the late Middle English period; roughly the period from Chaucer to Shakespeare.The GVS begins, marking the loss of the so-called "pure" vowel sounds, which are still found in many continental languages, and the loss of the phonetic pairings of most long and short vowel sounds.

The Statute of Pleading

Jan 1, 1362

The Statute of Pleading makes English the official language in England. Parliament is opened with its first speech delivered in English.

Wycliffe's Bible

Aug 12, 1382

John Wycliffe's English translation of the Latin Bible is published. This became known as Wycliffe's Bible

Geoffery Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

Apr 1, 1387

The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written in Middle English. It was one of the first major works in literature written in English. Chaucer began the tales in 1387 and continued until his death in 1400. For this, Chaucer is known as the Father of Literature.

King Henry IV

Oct 13, 1399

At his coronation, King Henry IV becomes the first English monarch to deliver a speech in English.

Thomas Hoccleve

Jan 1, 1410

A decade after Chaucer’s death in 1400, Thomas Hoccleve composed this long poem to the future King Henry V using Chaucer’s rhyme royal, the seven-line rhyming verse. In it, the Prince is instructed on the subjects of governance, virtue and vice. Earlier writers would have chosen Latin or French.