Question
Here is the question : IN WHAT LANGUAGE DID GEOFFREY CHAUCER WRITE “CANTERBURY TALES”?
Option
Here is the option for the question :
- Old English
- Middle English
- Gaelic
- Old High German
The Answer:
And, the answer for the the question is :
Explanation:
Middle English, which Chaucer used to write the “Canterbury Tales,” was the variety of English that people in England spoke between about the years 1100 and 1500. Chaucer wrote in a variant of the London dialect of Middle English, which was one of the five primary dialects that comprised Middle English. The extinct language was ultimately the ancestor of the modern form of English that we use today.
Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales in Middle English, the language of England from roughly 1100 to 1500 AD. At the time Chaucer wrote his famous work in the late 14th century, English was evolving from its Anglo-Saxon roots into a more recognizable form. Chaucer helped establish Middle English as the literary standard, using it to create masterpieces like The Canterbury Tales.
Middle English was an important transitional period in the development of the English language. It saw changes in vocabulary, grammar, syntax and pronunciation that continue to influence English today. Many words were borrowed from Latin, Norman-French and Old Norse, resulting in a language at once familiar yet foreign compared to Anglo-Saxon. The Canterbury Tales itself introduced thousands of new words into the English lexicon.
Chaucer was a key figure in shaping Middle English as a suitable literary language. Before him, English writers primarily composed in Latin. Chaucer helped establish English poetry, prose and drama through works like The Canterbury Tales, Troilus and Criseyde, and The House of Fame. He helped bring English to the level of languages like Latin, French and Italian that were accepted as literary standards at the time.
Chaucer is now seen as a master poet who wields the musicality, nuance and power of language itself as an art form. The Canterbury Tales showcases a brilliant command of verse, metaphor, allusion, character, and of course, the seeming limitless possibilities of Middle English. Chaucer played with forms, voices and styles, re-working poetry’s rules and forging new paths for generations of authors.
Over 600 years after it was written, The Canterbury Tales remains immensely readable and relevant. It provides a vivid portrait of 14th-century English society, demonstrating how oddly timeless human nature can be. The tales are intricately crafted, profoundly insightful, and told with a light touch and wry humor. Each stand as a short story in its own right, while together forming a cohesive whole and frame narrative, showcasing Chaucer’s brilliance as a storyteller.
While Middle English was a milestone in the development of English, Chaucer’s masterful use of the language in The Canterbury Tales ensured its longevity and cemented his status as one of the greatest authors in the English language. Chaucer helped bring English into its own as a literary medium, crafting within it a work of timeless beauty, humor and humanity. For this, he and The Canterbury Tales will endure for ages to come.