Middel-Ingelsk

It Middel-Ingelsk is it Ingelsk fan de hege en lette midsieuwen. It Middel-Ingelske tiidrek begjint sa rûchwei om 1100 hinne en ferdwynt oan 'e ein fan de fyftjinde ieu. It Middel-Ingelsk ûntwikkele him út it Aldingelsk wei en wie de basis foar it hjoeddeiske Ingelsk. It Middel-Ingelsk hie, oars as it hjoeddeiske Ingelsk, noch fjouwer namfallen.

Priuwke

It wichtichste literêre wurk yn it Middel-Ingelsk wie 'The Canterbury Tales' fan Geoffrey Chaucer. De Canterbury Tales is in samling ferhalen dy't as in ramtfertelling beskreaun binne. De ramtfertelling omfiemet fjouwer ferhalen fan pylgers dy't ûnderweis binne nei de Katedraal fan Canterbury.

Middel-Ingelsk Whan that Aprill with his shoures sote The droghte of Marche hath perced to the rote, And bathed euery veyne in swich licour, Of which vertu engendred is the flour; Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth Inspired hath in euery holt and heeth The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne Hath in the Ram his halfe course yronne, And smale fowles maken melodye, That slepen al the niȝt with open ye— So priketh hem Nature in hir corages— Than longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes, To ferne halwes, couthe in sondry londes; And specially, from euery shires ende Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende, The holy blissful martir for to seke, That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seke.

Modern Ingelsk When April with its sweet showers has pierced the drought of March to the root, and bathed every vein in such liquor from whose power the flower is engendered; when Zephyr [the west wind] also, with his sweet breath has blown [into life] in every wood and heath the tender crops, and the young sun has run his half-course in the sign of the Ram [Aries], and small fowls make melody, who sleep all night with open eye - so Nature stimulates them in their hearts - THEN people long to go on pilgrimages, and palmers [pilgrims carrying palm leaves] to seek strange strands [coastlines], to far [distant] saints [holy places], known in various lands; and specially, from every shire's end [from every county] in England, to Canterbury they wend [go; went comes from "wend"], to seek the holy blissful martyr [Thomas à Becket] who helped them when they were sick.