Middle English – Chaucer Middle English – Chaucer StyleStyle

by Dan Foleyby Dan Foley

The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales

• Chaucer’s Masterpiece – Never Finished• 31 Pilgrims 4 Stories Each – Chaucer Old• Source of this Slideshow• Certain words strong as ever• Others have had vastly different changes in

meaning• Others have faded out forever without

explanation• Use of OED and ME along with Geoffrey

The SurvivorsThe Survivors

Survival: GaySurvival: Gay

• Upon his arm he baar a gay bracer • Anglo-Norman, Old French• Beginning as Nobel, beautiful, excellent (epithet of praise

for a woman) (1325) Also bright in color, showy (1375) • Of persons, light hearted, carefree, merry (1380)• Then taking on an ironic meaning for excellent, beautiful,

fine (1581)• This is the big Change• For both persons and others meaning lewd dedicated to

social pleasures, dissolute, promiscuous, hedonistic, frivolous, flamboyant, uninhibited (1597) or of a prostitute

• Taken on the modern, homosexual in (1922)

Survival: WoodSurvival: Wood• What sholde he studie, and

make hymselven wood, (1374)• What does this mean?• Not only related to trees• N. Crazy Mad Insane• V. To go Mad• Comes from Scandinavian

compound - Brain-Wood (Frenzied of the Brain)

• Gone by 1600’s• 1985 first instance of get wood

Survival: War (Aware)Survival: War (Aware)

• Ful fetys was hir cloke, as I was war;• Originally had several meanings• N. to fight, to battle etc. (we all know)• Also meant “Aware” in this case (1370’s)• OED not sure about “war” origin, no use of it in

old Germanic• Possibly coming from “ware” – meaning watchful

(893) However now is obsolete• Adj. worse – in all senses (Scottish)• Connection?

Survival: Purtreye (Portray)Survival: Purtreye (Portray)

• Juste, and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and write.

• An easy one

• French, Anglo Saxon Roots

• To paint, or adorn (1330)

• Later taking on the Modern Instance of to show, to depict

The Forms of the DeadThe Forms of the Dead

Dead and Gone: ClepeDead and Gone: Clepe

• This worthy lymytour was cleped Huberd (1386).

• Coming from Clip (to clink or ring) and Clap (a hard noise - Norse)

• A call or cry, appeal after, proclaim

• Last use end of the 1500’s

• Perhaps no more use for it?

• Several other words take its place

The Living Dead?: ekeThe Living Dead?: eke• And eek his face, as it hadde been

enoyte. (1370’s) gone by (1850’s)• Forms: Eke, eek, ek, eake, ec• Possible Aryan roots, but unknown • Used in terms of connecting nouns

and pronouns, introducing sentences, modifying the predicate

• Adv. Also, in addition• V. To increase, lengthen• N. An addition, increase• Today: V. to supplement with great

effort?• As in “The Sox eked out the win

against the Yankees”• Also – a male salmon (1887) No

idea

Real Dead: BaReal Dead: Ba

• How mekly lokith Wilkyn our scheep! Com ner, my spouse, let me ba thy cheke (1386)

• It means to kiss• Coming from English?• Most likely a nursery or

onomatopoeia word• Like opening the mouth, grape

(kissed like your grandma does)• Last known use in 1529• Reasons Unknown

So Ridiculously Dead: GeldyngSo Ridiculously Dead: Geldyng

• I trowe he were a geldyng or a mare (1370)

• Only instance found

• Referring to the Pardoner

• Meaning eunuch, or a castrated

• Chaucer – (referring to) Translates to – I think he was a eunuch or a homosexual

• One of the strangest phrases in literature

The EndThe End