Second Middle English Primer: Extracts from Chaucer |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 15
Page 2
... vowels being marked ( ) , unless already doubled in the MSS . PRONUNCIATION . The following table shows the probable pronunciation of the vowels and diphthongs : - a ā as in aha ! ( a ) ( aa ) man nāme aha ! ai , ay au , aw ( au ) L ...
... vowels being marked ( ) , unless already doubled in the MSS . PRONUNCIATION . The following table shows the probable pronunciation of the vowels and diphthongs : - a ā as in aha ! ( a ) ( aa ) man nāme aha ! ai , ay au , aw ( au ) L ...
Page 4
... vowels no doubt followed the same law as i . The distinction between ai and ei , as in day and wey , was probably still kept up in Chaucer's pronunciation , but the two diphthongs were beginning to be confused , probably through the a ...
... vowels no doubt followed the same law as i . The distinction between ai and ei , as in day and wey , was probably still kept up in Chaucer's pronunciation , but the two diphthongs were beginning to be confused , probably through the a ...
Page 5
... vowel , as in signe = ( siine ) , dignitee ( diinitee ) . gh had two distinct pronunciations . After the front vowels e , i it had the sound of German ch in ich , as in streight , high , bryght . This front gh was vocalized into ...
... vowel , as in signe = ( siine ) , dignitee ( diinitee ) . gh had two distinct pronunciations . After the front vowels e , i it had the sound of German ch in ich , as in streight , high , bryght . This front gh was vocalized into ...
Page 6
... vowels or vowels and voiced con- sonants : voiceless in hous , wÿf , gth , voiced in houses ( both ses ) , wives , othes ; voiced also in such words as brethren . As a general rule every written consonant must be pro- nounced . This ...
... vowels or vowels and voiced con- sonants : voiceless in hous , wÿf , gth , voiced in houses ( both ses ) , wives , othes ; voiced also in such words as brethren . As a general rule every written consonant must be pro- nounced . This ...
Page 7
... vowels before a single consonant followed by a vowel , as in nāme , çten , byfore . i and u , however , were not lengthened : writen , sẵne . Monosyllables generally kept their short vowels , which are lengthened when a vowel is added ...
... vowels before a single consonant followed by a vowel , as in nāme , çten , byfore . i and u , however , were not lengthened : writen , sẵne . Monosyllables generally kept their short vowels , which are lengthened when a vowel is added ...
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
alwey bēn Book C. S. JERRAM Canterbury Tales Chaucer Cicero courtepy Crown 8vo diphthong dōn ęch Edited by C. A. ęęk English foules French fynde GEORGE SAINTSBURY gōld gọn Grammar Greek gręęt grēne GUSTAVE MASSON hath heere HENRY SWEET herde herte heven hire hise hond Introduction and Notes kynde M.A. Extra fcap M.A. Second Edition māke maner męte Middle English Molière mỹ myghte Nātūre noght Novum Testamentum Graece nyght oother ōther pęs peyne pitee pleyn plur pret pronunciation quod rede ryght SAINTSBURY seyde seye seyn shal shē sholde shul sing sọ sorwe sōth spak spęke stiff covers swēte swich syllable thanne ther Third Edition thise thọ thogh thou thow thrē thurgh thỹ thyng trōuthe tyme unaccented untō verbs vowels W. W. SKEAT weel wēl wēl koude whan wolde words
Popular passages
Page 85 - But al be that he was a philosophre, Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre...
Page 83 - For if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt, He wiste that a man was repentaunt. For many a man so hard is of his herte, He may nat wepe al-thogh him sore smerte. 230 Therfore, in stede of weping and preyeres, Men moot yeve silver to the povre freres.
Page 74 - A knyght ther was, and that a worthy man, That fro the tyme that he first bigan To riden out, he loved chivalrie, Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie.
Page 72 - And bathed every veyne in swich licour, Of which vertu engendred is the flour; Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth Inspired hath in every holt and heeth The tendre croppes...
Page 72 - And specially, from every shires ende Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende, The holy blisful martir for to seke, That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seke.
Page 81 - The reule of seint Maure or of seint Beneit, By-cause that it was old and som-del streit, This ilke monk leet olde thinges pace, And held after the newe world the space. He yaf nat of that text a pulled hen, That seith, that hunters been nat holy men...
Page 89 - And yet he was but esy of dispence ; He kepte that he wan in pestilence. For gold in phisik is a cordial ; Therfore he lovede gold in special.
Page 87 - Ful ofte tyme he was knyght of the shire. An anlaas and a gipser al of silk Heeng at his girdel, whit as morne milk. A shirreve hadde he been, and a countour. Was nowher swich a worthy vavasour. 360 An Haberdasshere and a Carpenter, A Webbe...
Page 91 - Up-on his feet, and in his hand a staf. This noble ensample to his sheep he yaf, That first he wroghte, and afterward he taughte; Out of the gospel he tho wordes caughte; And this figure he added eek ther-to, That if gold ruste, what shal iren do?
Page 93 - Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace The wisdom of an heep of lerned men?