Medieval England. A Phrase Book.
Created | Updated Aug 26, 2003
It is not always possible to be absolutely certain about the correct pronunciation of Medieval English words. There were no electronic recording devices in Medieval times. However,some Medieval texts have been familiar to successive generations of readers since they first appeared. Down the ages,they have not only been read,but read aloud,by one person to another. By means of this oral tradition,and by other methods that need not be considered here,it has been possible to make informed judgements about how Medieval English should sound.
There can be more than one correct way of pronouncing a Medieval English word. Words were pronounced differently in different parts of the country,and the pronunciation of words changed over time. Similarly,the spelling of words was subject to a good deal of variety,from place to place,and from time to time.
What follows is a lighthearted look at the English language of the 14th century,presented to you in the manner of a foreign language learning course. It should not be taken as an infallible,or necessarily typical,rendering of 14th century English speech. However,the language does come,mainly,from an authentic medieval source,namely,that famous 14th century work of poetry,"The Canterbury Tales",by Geoffrey Chaucer. <./>A1054027</.>
All of the words written in capital letters are Medieval English words. Some Medieval English words are pronounced the same as in modern English. Some are pronounced differently.
Pronounciation,where different,is given in brackets. <./>A980624</.>
The Geoffrey Chaucer Phase Book.
Item 1: How to say "Hello" in Medieval English.
a)To a man.
GOOD (rhymes with "woad") DAY ,SIR (rhymes with "hear").
b)To a woman.
GOOD DAY,DAME (pronounced daahm-uh).
c)To more than one person.
GOOD DAY,EVERYCHON (pronounced "ever-ee-choon").
Item 2: How to say "Please" in Medieval English.
I (pronounced "ee") BESEEK YOU (pronounced "yow") MEEKLY
or
I PRAY YOU
Item 3: How to say "Thankyou" in Medieval English.
GRAMERCY
or
I THANK YOU
Item 4: How to say "Sorry" in Medieval English
WEILEWAY (pronounced "weeluh-way")
or
ALAS
Item 5: How to say "Yes" in Medieval English
YEA
or
YIS
Item 6: How to say "No" in Medieval English.
NAY
Item 7: How to say "Maybe" in Medieval English.
PARAUNTER (pronounced "par-awn-ter")
Item 8: How to say "I Do Not Know" in Medieval English.
NOOT
Item 9: The verb To Be in Medieval English.
I AM
THOU ART
HE (pronounced "hay") IS (pronounced "eez")
or
SHE (pronounced "shay") IS
or
IT (pronounced "eet") IS
WE (pronounced "way") ARE (pronounced "arr-uh")
YE BEEN
THEY BEEN
Item 10: How to count to three in Medieval English
OO (rhymes with "zoo")
TWAYE (pronounced tway-uh)
THREE (pronounced thray)
Other numbers,up to ten,are basically the same as in modern English.
Item 11: At the dentists in Medieval England.
I have rather a bad toothache.
MINE WANGES (pronounced "wanguhs") WERKEN ME FULL WO
Item 12: At the library,or other place where quiet is required,in
Medieval England.
Please be silent (speaking to more than one person).
I BESEEK YE,PEES
Shut up! (to one person).
STINT THY CLAPPE
Item 13: Shopping for clothes in Medieval England.
Can you assure me that these garments are fashionable?
OF THE NEWE JET BEEN THISE WEEDE,SOOTH?
Item 14: Dining out in Medieval England.
The onion soup sounds good.
WEL LOVE I GARLEEK,OYNONS,AND EEK LEKES,
And I think I'll have a glass of red wine.
AND,FOR TO DRYNKEN,STRONG WYN,REED AS BLOOD
Item 15: Things not to say in Medieval England.
NICE
In Medieval English NICE doesn't mean nice. It means foolish or
silly.
Item 16: How to say "Goodbye" in Medieval English.
FAREWELL
What is called here Medieval English would more usually be called Middle English. That is to say,it is the form of English occupying a "middle" position,in between the oldest form of English,Old English (Anglo-Saxon) <./>A695478</.> and the form of English which began to become common a hundred years or so before Shakespeare's time.
The examples of Middle English used here have come mostly from Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales". Middle English was spoken and written differently,in different parts of the country,in Chaucer's time. The main distinction was between the northern and the southern form of the language. Chaucer wrote in the southern form. The popularity of his works helped to establish the southern form as the form of English that most people in mainland Britain spoke,and as the form of English that most people in mainland Britain,who could write (this was a small minority,of course,in the time of Chaucer),wrote in (if they chose to write in English,as Latin or French were still used for many purposes).
Why should anyone concern themselves with the language of 14th century England? Well,to be able to enjoy the literature of the period is one good reason. And those involved in historical research need to understand the documents of the era. To be fully involved in these pursuits,one would need to study the language of 14th century England in considerably more depth and detail than has been offered here. Perhaps this article will encourage some readers to do just that.
Perhaps,also,the brief glimpse of the language of 14th century England that has been offered here will serve to reinforce an awareness that is of importance to all of us in our everyday communication. Namely,the awareness that languages,whilst they must have accepted rules and conventions,in order to function as languages,are nevertheless constantly changing and evolving over time.
