OE to ME:The Norman

Conquest and its Linguistic Influence

M. Kubus

What happens in 1066, historically, and what

impact does it have on the English language?

The Rise of the EnglishVernacular

William of Nassyngton’s

Speculum Vitae

In englysch tonge I schal you telle Yif ye so longe with me wil dwelle Ne latyn wil I speke ne waste Bot englisch that men usen maste For that is youre kynde langage That ye have most here of usage That kan eche man understonde That is boren in engelonde For that langage is most schewed As wel among lered as lewed Latyn as I trowe can nane Bot thoo that have it at scole tane Somme kan frensch and no latyn That used have court and dwelled therinAnd somme kan of latyn a partyThat kan frensch ful febellyAnd somme understonden englyschThat kan nouther latyn ne frenschBot lered and lewed olde and yonge Alle understonden englysch tonge

Detail from Speculum Vitae, WLC/LM/9, ff. 1v-2r

Arthurian Literature

M. Kubus

The Figure of ArthurThe Historical Arthur

Some say he was an historical personGeoffrey of Monmouth: History of the Kings of Britain 1136

Could be Welsh420-540 AD, but no written records

Went to Brittany to fight the Germans or Romans and then fought civil war back in Wales

Legends begin to grow (his court, the round table, etc)

The Fictional ArthurFrench German English Latin

American Cowboy MoviesAmalgamation of Medieval Literature

In France, he becomes the stuff of legend (Chretien de Troyes, Lancelot: The Knight of the Cart, Erec and Enide)

Mallory, Morte D’ArthurMarie of France – writing in French, but IN England (French was predominant in

England) LanvalME – Gawain Poet and Chaucer

Arthur in Popular Culturehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xd_zkMEgkI

Tenets of RomanceThese stories belong to the genre of ROMANCE (stories written in the vernacular – a roman –

NOT Latin)Matters of Rome (Troy, Aeneas), France (Charlemagne, Roland), Breton (Arthur and his

Knights)

Chivalric Aventura (quest, but also fate, fortune, chance)Geste (Great Deeds)

Knight who wanders (errare: italian for error)

Quest and TestKnight must wander around, making mistakes before he can find success

Virtue is measured

ChivalryChevalier – one who rides a horseKnight is an English corruption

Associated with Virtue, Horsemanship, and having a high birthChaucer’s Virtues: Trothe, Honour, Fredom, Curteisie (reverence for rank and

degree) ME Dictionary

Courtly LoveArthurian stories are associated with women

Lord and Knight or Knight and Thane (feminization of this relationship… NOT sexual)

Knight owes the lady obedience and submission (literary convention)

Romance = Geste, Quest, and Test

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Anonymous PoetAlliterative Tradition

Northern DialectDifficult to Read in the Original ME

Bob and Wheel

Ye Olde English Cafe