The Middle English

Middle English describes dialects of English in the history of the English language between the High and Late Middle Ages, or roughly during the three centuries between the late 12th and the late 15th century. * In 1066 the Normans invaded England, and the French of Normandy, together with Latin, was to become the language of court, religion and science * English was still used by the common people, but there was no literature written in it for 200 years. * However, this situation of the ruling class speaking one language, and their subordinates the other, could not last long. The Normans had to learn some English in order to communicate. Moreover, Norman kings set off to the Crusades in the 12th century, so they had to persuade people to go there. * 100 years after the invasion the descendants of Norman knights spoke French which was unintelligible by the French people. * In 13th century, England lost control of its French territory, and the Norman nobility had to declare allegiance either to France or to England. Many of them chose England, because they were born there. * During the late 13th and in the 14th century, English was making a comeback. The mood towards France was becoming more and more hostile: it wasn’t seen as a mother country, but as a dangerous rival. Although French and Latin were still languages of prestige, English was becoming the language of communication, even among the nobility. * The Hundred Years’ War with France (mid-14th – mid-15th cent.) marked the definite decline of French and the rise of English as a chief language. * During the late 13th and in the 14th century, English was making a comeback. The mood towards France was becoming more and more hostile: it wasn’t seen as a mother country, but as a dangerous rival. Although French and Latin were still languages of prestige, English was becoming the language of communication, even among the nobility. * The Hundred Years’ War with France (mid-14th –