© 2009 Scott Kleinman, Department of English, California State University, Northridge
About Middle English Grammar
Before the Norman Conquest, people were taught to write a form of Old English that was more
archaic than the form they actually spoke. We’re in the same position today. We’re taught to
write ‘write’, even though we no longer pronounce the w and the e, and our pronunciation of the
i is no longer the original pronunciation, which was more like the i in ‘machine’.
After the Norman Conquest, when French became the language of the elite, most of the literate
class were no longer taught to read and write in English. Although there were some attempts to
continue an English literary tradition, it is clear that few writers could reproduce or even
completely understand Old English, especially as time wore on. Instead, they tended to represent
their own spoken language—early Middle English—often in unsystematic ways.
Without schooling in written English, early Middle English writers wrote in their own local
dialects, so that the modern reader who becomes familiar with one text must learn another
system to read a text from a different part of the country. Although the fourteenth-century
London dialect of Geoffrey Chaucer begins to resemble modern English, many of his
contemporaries, such as the poet of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, continued to write in local
dialects. This, combined with the archaic meanings of words and older grammatical forms, can
make Middle English a challenge for today’s student. For the most part, however, these problems
are overcome through practice and memorisation of vocabulary. In general, most diligent
students begin to read with good fluency within five to six weeks.
Here are some tips to remember:
• There is no set spelling system in Middle English; the same words are often spelt more
than one way. Reading aloud can help you recognise the intended word.
• In Middle English the endings –(e)s and –(e)n had multiple functions: the plurals and
possessives of nouns, and various forms of verbs. In order to determine the meanings of
words with these endings, it may be necessary to consider all the possibilities before
deciding which is appropriate.
• Middle English words that have survived in Modern English sometimes had different
meanings in the earlier period (e.g. silly meant ‘blessed’ and buxom meant ‘obedient’).
You should always be aware of this possibility. Student editions often point out these
differences in meaning, but you should also consult dictionaries. The Oxford English
Dictionary records earlier meanings of words and is accessible online through the
University Library. The online Middle English Dictionary
(http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/med/) is also invaluable.
• Many Middle English words did not survive in Modern English but occur very frequently
in Middle English literature. Keeping a running list of these words is very helpful for
learning them.
Finally, knowledge of traditional grammar (http://www.soton.ac.uk/~wpwt/notes/grammar.htm)
and experience studying a foreign language can provide the student with helpful skills for
learning Middle English. Unfortunately, our education system today rarely gives students skills