Sources of London English
Medieval Thames Vocabulary
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Published:28th Mar '96
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This work explores mixed-language business texts from London (1275-1500), revealing insights into the medieval dialect. It highlights vocabulary related to the River Thames and sheds light on the development of English.
Sources of London English explores the mixed-language business texts of London from 1275 to 1500, which comprise a valuable resource for understanding the medieval dialect of the city. Laura Wright conducts a comprehensive vocabulary survey of these documents, shedding light on their significance in tracing the evolution of standard English. Often overlooked due to misconceptions regarding their quality, these macaronic texts have been dismissed as mere products of poorly educated scribes. However, Wright argues that they should not be undervalued; instead, they offer crucial insights into the development of the English language during this period.
The book emphasizes the abundance of macaronic business documents available today, which outnumber monolingual texts from the late medieval era in record offices. This wealth of material allows for a deeper examination of the language used in everyday transactions, particularly in the context of the River Thames. By focusing on terminology related to the Thames, Wright presents a detailed study of the dialect as it was spoken in medieval London, revealing a rich tapestry of vocabulary that had previously been forgotten.
Wright's analysis extends to the orthography, phonology, and morphology of the dialect, providing a thorough understanding of how language was used in these historical texts. The illustrative extracts included in the book not only highlight the vocabulary but also paint a vivid picture of life along the River Thames during medieval times. Overall, Sources of London English serves as an important contribution to the study of language, offering a fresh perspective on the complexities of London English in its formative years.
important new study ... This austere linguistic study contains few generalizations, but pithy remarks sketch out ideas important for comprehending city life ... the essential material is presented with great transparency and regard for sense. This is the first substantial strike in a major scholarly campaign: the follow-up will be worth watching. * Derek Keene, Urban History *
These texts provide a new angle on the development of London English, accepted as the forerunner to Standard English. * The Medieval World *
This is a highly technical but extremely attractive socio-linguistic study derived from early London Corporation records ... From the point of view of dialect studies this meticulous work breaks with recent tradition in its deduction that the overwhelming variety of orthographic and phonological forms point to nothing like regional linguistic purity. Such reference works always make nice new research sources for many disciplines ... few volumes more engaging than this very felt, real book could lie by your bedside lamp this year. * Ruth Kennedy, Ricardian X No. 138 Sept 1997 *
Wright's survey provides the precise information any careful student of English linguistic history would require ... the entries in this survey often antedate citations in these dictionaries and everywhere flesh them out with illustrations that complicate and more fully specify their meaning and characteristic use. * Speculum - A Journal of Medieval Studies *
A detailed study of Middle English vocabulary belonging to a unique semantic field is always to be welcomed, particularly one as meticulously researched and well presented as Laura Wright's book. / ... SLE undoubtedly will be used for decades to come, with trust, working on the tortuous development of the London dialect of late Middle English./ Willard James Rusch, University of Southern Maine, American Journal of Germanic Linguistics & Literatures, Vol 10, no1, 1998
important new study ... This austere linguistic study contains few generalizations, but pithy remarks sketch out ideas important for comprehending city life ... the essential material is presented with great transparency and regard for sense. This is the first substantial strike in a major scholarly campaign: the follow-up will be worth watching. * Urban History *
ISBN: 9780198239093
Dimensions: 242mm x 163mm x 21mm
Weight: 578g
256 pages