Discuss the impact of French in the Middle English period.

Discuss the impact of French in the Middle English period.

 Ans. Historically the English middle ages is the period between 5001500. But the period after 1100 is often called later middle ages. In English political history this runs from 1066 to 1485. In European cultural history 13th century is regarded as the high middle ages. Therefore, we can call 12th century as spring of Middle Age. 13th as the summer, 14th as autumn and 15th as winter. However, the conquest of England 1066 by William of Normandy displaced English as the medium of literature because the language of new ruler was French. William the conqueror tried to learn English but gave up. The Saxon who dealt with him had to learn French and French was the language of court and law for three centuries. The Norman spoke the Norman French. The Norman French of England was called Anglo-Norman. Almost all bishop were French. Literature in English suffered disruption in 1066. Classical old English verse died out and prose continued. Sermons were written in English. English assumed a different form with new writing. In other words with the impact of French, English language revived in a different form.  Langland and the writers of Sir Gawain and the Green kmg t wrote in  different forms in English. Chaucer wrote in London English, Langland wrote Worcestershire. Gawain poets in Staffordshire English.  William the conqueror made London capital of England. London English itself a mixture of dialect. English opened in English instead of French in 1362. And in the 15m century London changing English became the national standard. Printing was introduced in 1476 which helped the  spread of literary excellence. The kings English was introduced in prayer books and in the authorized version of Bible. The Middle English dialect presents variation in vocabulary and grammar. The absence of slandered spelling makes Middle English dialect different. The conquest added thousand of French words of middle English. In other words old English turned to Middle English. The old English syntax subject + verb + object became subject +object + verb. There was a reduction of inflection.