The language of Middle English texts -- its grammar, its syntax, and its vocuabulary -- can make it seem daunting and even mysterious to the modern reader. This page contains links to tutorials and other resources designed to help make sense out of this sometimes very foreign language.
Pronunciation
- Middle English Pronunciation -- John Gardner
This is a humorous but nevertheless accurate and concise explanation of the pronunciation of Chaucer's Middle English. It doesn't contain sound but uses very clear examples.
- Guide to Middle English Pronunciation -- Harvard
This site includes sound recordings and a step-by-step tutorial. The sound recordings demonstrate all major vowel sounds and consonant groups that differ from modern pronunciation as they appear in examples taken from Chaucer's poetry, and the tutorial concludes with an audible reading of one of Chaucer's short poems.
- Chaucer Metapage Audio Files -- Chaucer Metapage
This page contains links to audio recordings of professors reading excerpts of Chaucer's poetry. Very useful as a guide for pronunciation. It includes several readings of parts of the General Prologue and excerpts from the Miller's and Wife of Bath's Tales.
- More Audio Files -- UCSB
This site has complete recordings of the Prologue, the Miller's Tale, and the Wife of Bath's Tale.
Vocabulary
- Chaucer's Vocabulary -- Harvard
This is a relatively short list of important and frequently used Middle English words that don't look or sound much like their modern English equivalents.
- A Chaucer Glossary -- Edwin Duncan
This is a more thorough glossary of Chaucer's Middle English.
Grammar
- Chaucer's Grammar -- Harvard
While this resource may be slightly more technical than many beginners of Middle English may prefer, it nevertheless provides a nicely schematized overview of the major parts of speech and their conventional configurations in Middle English.
Background information