John of Trevisa was a vicar of Berkeley near Gloucester when he translated Polychronicon. It is a reminder to us of the historical origins of English and its dialects. Trevisa’s attitude is not unlike that of some people today in his talk of the aperying (deterioration) of the language, but the reasons he gives are different. He blames it on the fashion for speaking French. He is writing in the South-west dialect on Middle English.
We are going to follow the kind of variation of the text Polychronicon thorugh the different copies of this single text during history, attending to vocabulary changes, spelling, word-forms and inflections (nouns, pronouns and verbs) and also grammar.
ORIGINAL TEXTS
TEXT 57: John of Trevisa on the English language in 1385 (i)
Freeborn. Page 190
As hyt ys y-knowe hou3 meny maner people buþ in þis ylond, þer buþ also of so meny people longages and tonges; noþeles Walschmen and Scottes, þat buþ no3t ymelled wiþ oþer nacions, holdeþ wel ny3 here furste longage and speche
Also Englischmen, þey3 hy hadde fram þe bygynnyng þre maner speche, Souþeron, Norþeron, and Myddel speche in þe myddel of þe lond, as hy come of þre maner people of Germania, noþeles, by commyxstion and mellyng furst wiþ danes and afterward wiþ Normans in menye þe contray longage ys apeyred, and som vseþ strange wlaffyng, chyteryng, harryng and garryng, grisbittyng.
This apeyryng of þe burþ-tonge ys bycause of twey þinges -on ys, for chyldern in scole, a3enes þe usage and manere of al oþer nacions, buþ compelled for to leve here oune longage, and for to construe here lessons and here þinges a freynsch, and habbeþ, suþthe þe normans come furst into engelond. Also, gentil men children buþ y-tau3t for to speke freynsch fram tyme þat a buþ yrokked in here cradel, and conneþ speke and playe wiþ a child hys brouch; and oplondysch men wol lykne hamsylf to gentilmen, and fondeþ wiþ gret bysynes for to speke Freynsch for to be more y-told of…
Dys manere was moche y-used tofore þe furste moreyn and ys sesthe somdel y-chaunged. Now, þe 3er of oure Lord a þousond re hondred foure score and fyue in al þe gramerscoles of engelond children leueþ frensch and costrueþ and lurneþ Englysh…
Also gentil men habbeþ now moche yleft for to teche here childern frensch. Hyt semeþ a gret wondur hou3 englysch, þat ys þe burþ-tonge of englyschmen and here oune longage and tongue ys so dyvers of soun in þis ylond, and þe longage of Normandy ys comlyng of anoþer lond and haþ on maner soun among al men þat spekeþ hyt ary3t in engelond.
TEXT 90: John of Trevisa, 1385
Freeborn. Page 271
As it is i-knowe how meny manere peple beeþ in
þis ilond þere beeþ also so many dyuers longages
and tonges; noþeles walsche men and scottes þat
beeþ nou3t i-medled wiþ oþer naciouns holdeþ wel
nyh hir firste longage and speche...
Also englische men þey þei hadde from þe
bygynnynge þre maner speche norþerne sowþerne
and middel speche in þe myddel of þe lond, as þey
come of þre manere peple of Germania, noþeles by
comyxtioun and mellynge firste wiþ danes and
afterward wiþ normans in meny þe contray longage
is apayred and som vseþ straunge wlafferynge
chiterynge harrynge and garrynge grisbitynge.
This apayrynge of þe burþe tonge is bycause of
tweie þinges; oon is for children in scole a3enst þe
vsage and manere of alle oþere naciouns beeþ
compelled for to leue hire owne langage and for to
construe hir lessouns and here þynges a frensche,
and so þey haueþ seþ þe normans come first in to
engelond.
Also gentil men children beeþ i-tau3t to speke
frensche from þe tyme þat þey beeþ i-rokked in
here cradel and kunneþ speke and playe wiþ a
childes broche; and vplondisshe men wil likne
hym self to gentil men and fondeþ wiþ greet
besynesse for to speke frensce for to be i-tolde of...
Þis manere was moche i-vsed to for firste deth and
is siþþe sumdel i-chaunged. For Iohn Cornwaile, a
maister of grammer, chaunged þe lore in gramer
scole, and construccioun of frensche into
englische; and Richard Pencriche lerned þe manere
techynge of hym and oþere men of Pencrich; so
þat now, þe 3ere of oure Lorde a þowsand þre
hundred and foure score and fyue, in alle þe
gramere scoles of engelond children leueþ frensche
and construeþ and lerneþ an englische...
Also gentil men haueþ now moche i-left for to
teche here children frensche. Hit semeþ a greet
wonder hou3 englische, þat is pe burþe tonge of
englissh men and her owne langage and tonge, ys
so dyuerse of sown in þis oon ilond, and þe langage
of normandie is comlynge of anoþer londe and haþ
oon manere soun among alle men þat spekeþ hit
ari3t in engelond.
...also of þe forsaide saxon tonge þat is i-deled a
þre and is abide scarsliche wiþ fewe vplondisshe
men is greet wonder for men of þe est wiþ men of
þe west, as it were vndir þe same partie of heuene,
acordeþ more in sownynge of speche þan men of
þe norþ wiþ men of þe souþ.
Þerfor it is þat men of mercii, þat beeþ of myddel
engelond, as it were parteners of þe endes,
vnderstondeþ bettre þe side langages, norþerne and
souþerne, þan noþrerne and souþerne vnderstondeþ
eiþer oþer.
Al þe longage of þe norþumbres and specialliche at
3ork is so scharp slitting frotynge and vnschape þat
we souþerne men may þat longage vnneþe
understande. I trowe þat þat is bycause þat þey be
nyh to staunge men and aliens þat spekeþ
strongliche.
Text 91: Caxton’s version, 1482
Freeborn. Page 272
As it is knowen how many maner peple ben in this
Ilond ther ben also many langages and tonges.
Netheles walshmen and scottes that ben not
medled with other nacions kepe neygh yet theyr
first langage and speche /
also englysshmen though they had fro the
begynnyng thre maner speches Southern northern
and myddel speche in the middel of the londe as
they come of thre maner of people of Germania.
Netheles by commyxtion and medlyng first with
danes and afterward with normans In many
thynges the countreye langage is appayred / ffor
somme use straunge wlaffyng / chytering harryng
garryng and grisbytyng /
this appayryng of the langage cometh of two
thynges / One is by cause that children that gon to
scole lerne to speke first englysshe / & than ben
compellid to constrewe her lessons in Frenssh and
that have ben used syn the normans come in to
Englond /
Also gentilmens childeren ben lerned and taught
from theyr yongthe to speke frenssh. And
uplondyssh men will counterfete and likene hem
self to gentilmen and arn besy to speke frensshe
for to be more sette by.
This maner was moche used to fore the grete
deth. But syth it is somdele chaunged For sir
Johan cornuayl a mayster of gramer chaunged the
techyng in gramer scole and construction of
Frenssh in to englysshe. and other Scoolmaysters
use the same way now in the yere of oure lord /
M.iij/C.lx.v. the /ix yere of kyng Rychard the
secund and leve all frenssh in scoles and use al
construction in englissh.
MODERN TRANSLATION
As it is kown how many kinds of people are in this island, there are also so many languages and tongues. Nevertheless Welshmen and Scots that are not mingled with other nations hold well nigh to their native language and speech.
Also Englishmen though they had from the beginning three varieties of speech –Southern, Northern, and Middle speech in the middle of the land, as they came from three kinds of people from Germany. Nevertheless bu mixing and mingling first with Danes afterwards with Normans in many the language of the land is impaired and some use strange stammering, chattering, snarling, and harsh gnashing.
This impairing of the native tongue is because of two things –one is that children in school, against the usage and custom of all other nations, are compelled to leave their own language and to construe their lessons and their tasks in French, and have done since the Normans came first into England.
Also gentelemen’s children are taught to speak French from the time that they are rocked in their cradle and can talk and play with a child’s brooch. And country men want to compare themselves to gentlemen and seek with great industry to speak French in order to be more spoken about…
This fashion was much followed before the first plague and is since somewhat changed. Now, the year of our Lord one thousand three hundred four score and five, in all the grammar schools of England, children leave French, and construe and learn in English.
Also gentlemen have now to a great extent stopped teaching their children French. It seems a freat wonder how English, that is the native tongue of Englishmen and their own language and tongue, is so diverse in pronunciation in this island, and the language of Normandy is a newcover from another land and has one pronunciation among all men that speak it corretly in England.
We are going to follow the kind of variation of the text Polychronicon thorugh the different copies of this single text during history, attending to vocabulary changes, spelling, word-forms and inflections (nouns, pronouns and verbs) and also grammar.
ORIGINAL TEXTS
TEXT 57: John of Trevisa on the English language in 1385 (i)
Freeborn. Page 190
As hyt ys y-knowe hou3 meny maner people buþ in þis ylond, þer buþ also of so meny people longages and tonges; noþeles Walschmen and Scottes, þat buþ no3t ymelled wiþ oþer nacions, holdeþ wel ny3 here furste longage and speche
Also Englischmen, þey3 hy hadde fram þe bygynnyng þre maner speche, Souþeron, Norþeron, and Myddel speche in þe myddel of þe lond, as hy come of þre maner people of Germania, noþeles, by commyxstion and mellyng furst wiþ danes and afterward wiþ Normans in menye þe contray longage ys apeyred, and som vseþ strange wlaffyng, chyteryng, harryng and garryng, grisbittyng.
This apeyryng of þe burþ-tonge ys bycause of twey þinges -on ys, for chyldern in scole, a3enes þe usage and manere of al oþer nacions, buþ compelled for to leve here oune longage, and for to construe here lessons and here þinges a freynsch, and habbeþ, suþthe þe normans come furst into engelond. Also, gentil men children buþ y-tau3t for to speke freynsch fram tyme þat a buþ yrokked in here cradel, and conneþ speke and playe wiþ a child hys brouch; and oplondysch men wol lykne hamsylf to gentilmen, and fondeþ wiþ gret bysynes for to speke Freynsch for to be more y-told of…
Dys manere was moche y-used tofore þe furste moreyn and ys sesthe somdel y-chaunged. Now, þe 3er of oure Lord a þousond re hondred foure score and fyue in al þe gramerscoles of engelond children leueþ frensch and costrueþ and lurneþ Englysh…
Also gentil men habbeþ now moche yleft for to teche here childern frensch. Hyt semeþ a gret wondur hou3 englysch, þat ys þe burþ-tonge of englyschmen and here oune longage and tongue ys so dyvers of soun in þis ylond, and þe longage of Normandy ys comlyng of anoþer lond and haþ on maner soun among al men þat spekeþ hyt ary3t in engelond.
TEXT 90: John of Trevisa, 1385
Freeborn. Page 271
As it is i-knowe how meny manere peple beeþ in
þis ilond þere beeþ also so many dyuers longages
and tonges; noþeles walsche men and scottes þat
beeþ nou3t i-medled wiþ oþer naciouns holdeþ wel
nyh hir firste longage and speche...
Also englische men þey þei hadde from þe
bygynnynge þre maner speche norþerne sowþerne
and middel speche in þe myddel of þe lond, as þey
come of þre manere peple of Germania, noþeles by
comyxtioun and mellynge firste wiþ danes and
afterward wiþ normans in meny þe contray longage
is apayred and som vseþ straunge wlafferynge
chiterynge harrynge and garrynge grisbitynge.
This apayrynge of þe burþe tonge is bycause of
tweie þinges; oon is for children in scole a3enst þe
vsage and manere of alle oþere naciouns beeþ
compelled for to leue hire owne langage and for to
construe hir lessouns and here þynges a frensche,
and so þey haueþ seþ þe normans come first in to
engelond.
Also gentil men children beeþ i-tau3t to speke
frensche from þe tyme þat þey beeþ i-rokked in
here cradel and kunneþ speke and playe wiþ a
childes broche; and vplondisshe men wil likne
hym self to gentil men and fondeþ wiþ greet
besynesse for to speke frensce for to be i-tolde of...
Þis manere was moche i-vsed to for firste deth and
is siþþe sumdel i-chaunged. For Iohn Cornwaile, a
maister of grammer, chaunged þe lore in gramer
scole, and construccioun of frensche into
englische; and Richard Pencriche lerned þe manere
techynge of hym and oþere men of Pencrich; so
þat now, þe 3ere of oure Lorde a þowsand þre
hundred and foure score and fyue, in alle þe
gramere scoles of engelond children leueþ frensche
and construeþ and lerneþ an englische...
Also gentil men haueþ now moche i-left for to
teche here children frensche. Hit semeþ a greet
wonder hou3 englische, þat is pe burþe tonge of
englissh men and her owne langage and tonge, ys
so dyuerse of sown in þis oon ilond, and þe langage
of normandie is comlynge of anoþer londe and haþ
oon manere soun among alle men þat spekeþ hit
ari3t in engelond.
...also of þe forsaide saxon tonge þat is i-deled a
þre and is abide scarsliche wiþ fewe vplondisshe
men is greet wonder for men of þe est wiþ men of
þe west, as it were vndir þe same partie of heuene,
acordeþ more in sownynge of speche þan men of
þe norþ wiþ men of þe souþ.
Þerfor it is þat men of mercii, þat beeþ of myddel
engelond, as it were parteners of þe endes,
vnderstondeþ bettre þe side langages, norþerne and
souþerne, þan noþrerne and souþerne vnderstondeþ
eiþer oþer.
Al þe longage of þe norþumbres and specialliche at
3ork is so scharp slitting frotynge and vnschape þat
we souþerne men may þat longage vnneþe
understande. I trowe þat þat is bycause þat þey be
nyh to staunge men and aliens þat spekeþ
strongliche.
Text 91: Caxton’s version, 1482
Freeborn. Page 272
As it is knowen how many maner peple ben in this
Ilond ther ben also many langages and tonges.
Netheles walshmen and scottes that ben not
medled with other nacions kepe neygh yet theyr
first langage and speche /
also englysshmen though they had fro the
begynnyng thre maner speches Southern northern
and myddel speche in the middel of the londe as
they come of thre maner of people of Germania.
Netheles by commyxtion and medlyng first with
danes and afterward with normans In many
thynges the countreye langage is appayred / ffor
somme use straunge wlaffyng / chytering harryng
garryng and grisbytyng /
this appayryng of the langage cometh of two
thynges / One is by cause that children that gon to
scole lerne to speke first englysshe / & than ben
compellid to constrewe her lessons in Frenssh and
that have ben used syn the normans come in to
Englond /
Also gentilmens childeren ben lerned and taught
from theyr yongthe to speke frenssh. And
uplondyssh men will counterfete and likene hem
self to gentilmen and arn besy to speke frensshe
for to be more sette by.
This maner was moche used to fore the grete
deth. But syth it is somdele chaunged For sir
Johan cornuayl a mayster of gramer chaunged the
techyng in gramer scole and construction of
Frenssh in to englysshe. and other Scoolmaysters
use the same way now in the yere of oure lord /
M.iij/C.lx.v. the /ix yere of kyng Rychard the
secund and leve all frenssh in scoles and use al
construction in englissh.
MODERN TRANSLATION
As it is kown how many kinds of people are in this island, there are also so many languages and tongues. Nevertheless Welshmen and Scots that are not mingled with other nations hold well nigh to their native language and speech.
Also Englishmen though they had from the beginning three varieties of speech –Southern, Northern, and Middle speech in the middle of the land, as they came from three kinds of people from Germany. Nevertheless bu mixing and mingling first with Danes afterwards with Normans in many the language of the land is impaired and some use strange stammering, chattering, snarling, and harsh gnashing.
This impairing of the native tongue is because of two things –one is that children in school, against the usage and custom of all other nations, are compelled to leave their own language and to construe their lessons and their tasks in French, and have done since the Normans came first into England.
Also gentelemen’s children are taught to speak French from the time that they are rocked in their cradle and can talk and play with a child’s brooch. And country men want to compare themselves to gentlemen and seek with great industry to speak French in order to be more spoken about…
This fashion was much followed before the first plague and is since somewhat changed. Now, the year of our Lord one thousand three hundred four score and five, in all the grammar schools of England, children leave French, and construe and learn in English.
Also gentlemen have now to a great extent stopped teaching their children French. It seems a freat wonder how English, that is the native tongue of Englishmen and their own language and tongue, is so diverse in pronunciation in this island, and the language of Normandy is a newcover from another land and has one pronunciation among all men that speak it corretly in England.
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