Tags
Age of Reason, Chaucer, Double negative, Double Negatives, English Language, Geoffrey Chaucer, History of English, Humour, Language, Linguistics, Lowth, Robert Lowth
Although I don’t usually talk about medieval times, Monday’s posts are called Medieval Mondays, because I like alliteration. In these posts, I look at the history of the English language.
Ther nas no man no wher so vertuous
(“There never was no man nowhere so virtuous”)
He nevere yet no vileynye ne sayde / In all his lyf unto no maner wight
(“He never yet no vileness didn’t say / In all his life to no manner of man”)
Chaucer is heralded as being one of the great historical writers – in fact, he’s one of the only still read today.
So how does he write using double negative and escape the wrath of people such as myself? Continue reading