Episode 128: The Canterbury Tellers
The History of English Podcast
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Chaucer's Use of Language
This chapter explores Chaucer's use of language and vocabulary to convey social status and class distinctions in his writing, focusing on characters such as the squire, yoman, priorus, monk, friar, merchant, and clerk. It delves into the origins and evolution of words like 'clerk' and 'cleric', as well as the pronunciation differences in American and British English. The chapter concludes by discussing Chaucer's portrayal of a lawyer and the term 'sergeant of law'.
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