Essay on characteristics of middle english
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The Old English vocabulary was almost unmixed while the Middle English vocabulary was heterogeneous. Though the Scandinavian words had entered the spoken language during the late Old English period yet till the Middle English period no literature had been produced.
The French words came into the English vocabulary. They were related to the customs, ideas, art, literature and ways of the life of Normans. These words are poet, prose, poem, art, painting, beauty, image, palace, mansion etc.
Chief of them were related to government, warfare, law and church. Words like chaplain, charity, grace, miracle, army, navy, diplomacy, corps etc were borrowed from French.
There were also words from fashion, hunting, social life etc. In the words of Mario Pei in his book " The Story of English " - "As for vocabulary, the Norman Conquest acted like a bomb that smashed a dike and let loose a flood."
The French words came into the English vocabulary. They were related to the customs, ideas, art, literature and ways of the life of Normans. These words are poet, prose, poem, art, painting, beauty, image, palace, mansion etc.
Chief of them were related to government, warfare, law and church. Words like chaplain, charity, grace, miracle, army, navy, diplomacy, corps etc were borrowed from French.
There were also words from fashion, hunting, social life etc. In the words of Mario Pei in his book " The Story of English " - "As for vocabulary, the Norman Conquest acted like a bomb that smashed a dike and let loose a flood."
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