Middle english syntax

1. What type of syntactic bond is exemplified in the following ME phrases? What is the grammatical meaning of the inflexion –e in each phrase?

1) fresshe floures “fresh flowers” 2) þe gode kyng “the good king” 3) shoures soote “showers sweet”.

2. Compare the underlined phrases in the two sentences given below to determine which of the examples is of an earlier period.

1. Cnihtes feollen adun and Zirnden heore dæðes. “Knights fell down and yearned for their death”.

2. … ne Zierneð to none þinge bute after godes wille. “… yearn for nothing except God’s will”.

3. What former adverbs are used as prepositions in the following phrases?

1. hir yelow heer was broyded in a tresse bihynde hir bak,… “her yellow hair was braided in a tress behind her back,…”. 2) And al his hoost in armes hym bisyde. “And all his host of men-at-arms around”. 3) Out of the gospel he tho wordes caughte… “He took those words out of the Gospel…”.

4. In the sentences given pick out infinitival and participial constructions and analyse their structure.

1. His hors he lette irnan. “He let his horse run”. 2) The King dede the mayden arise. “The king caused the maiden to rise up”. 3) He herde hem speke… “He heard them speak…”. 4) He fond her maidenes al slepend. “He found her maidens all sleeping”. 5) … ðe makieð ðe herte … sobbiende… “… which makes the heart sob…”. 6) Out of þat pitte þai feld comande a foule smoke. “Out of that pit they felt coming a foul smoke”. 7) … that I see yond in the garden romen to and fro… “that I see roaming the garden to and fro…”.

5. Comment on the way subordinate clauses are introduced in the examples given below.

1) Whan that Apprille with his shoures soote… “When April with its sweet showers…”. 2) How that Joseph was boght and sold. “How Joseph was bought and sold”. 3) … why that the fifthe man was noon husbonde to the Samaritan? “… why the fifth man was no husband to the Samaritan?”. 4) Seth bigan to thinc for qui (OE hwy) þat þis tre bicom sua dri. “Seth began to think why this tree had become so dry”.

6. Compare Alfred’s and Chaucer’s translations of an extract from Boethius’ “Consolatio Philisophiae”. What changes in syntax seem to have taken place between Alfred’s time and Chaucer’s?

1. Ac wit sculon þeah Zit dēōplicor ymbe þæt bēōn. Ic nat ful Zearn ymb hwæt þū Zyt tweost;… . 2) But let seken depper: I conjecte þat þere lakkeþ I not what. “The two of us will have to inquire more deeply into this. I do not know clearly what you are still doubtful about…”.

7. Analyse the structure of the following sentences.

1. Bot war thee well that thou ne lieve al that thou sest tofore thin yhe. “But guard yourself well that you do not believe everything you see before your eyes”. 2) … for agenes him risen sona þa rice men þe wæron swikes. “… for against him arose immediately those powerful men who were traitors”. 3) Sume ieden on ælmes þe waren sum wile rice men. “Some went begging who had formerly been wealthy men”. 4) This lusty squier, servant to Venus which that ycleped was Aurelius. “This lusty squier servant to Venus who was called Aurelius”. 5) Thanne shal I yeve Emelya to wyve to whom that Fortune yeveth so fair a grace. “Then I shall give Emelia to wife to the one that Fortune has given so far a grace”. 6) It is better wroght then I coude haif thoght. “It is better than I could have thought”. 7) With hym ther was a Plowman, was his brother… “With him there was a Plowman, who was his brother…”. 8) And I shal klinken you so merry a belle that I shal waken al this companye. “And I shall ring so merry a bell for you that I shall waken all this company”.

8. Paraphrase the following ME examples into current idiom.

1) The kyng aligte of his stede. 2) His men he tolde of that cas. 3) Thanne Erode seeynge that he was scorned, or disceyved, of the kyngis, was greatly wroth… 4) … end weren eal to gredi of seolver end of golde.

9. Give MnE equivalents of the ME phrases listed below.

hym oghte; me were levere; deliteth hym; hym liste ride soo; me thynketh.

10. State the type of word order in the following ME sentences.

1) And se kyng hit him iætte. “And the king bestowed it on him”. 2) So þicke is þrinne þe posternesse þet me hire mei grapin. “So thick is the three-fold darkness that one may touch it”. 3) … þaræftor … þa geaf se eorl him þone abbotrice. “… thereafter … then gave the earl to him the abbotry”. 4) Đa beiæt he þone ærcebiscoprice of Besencun. “Then obtained he the archbishopric of Besencun”.