Assignment: Middle English

jueves, 13 de mayo de 2010

1. Approximately when was Middle English spoken?
Between the late 11th century and about 1470

2. What were the major factors which led to the development and the spread of Middle English?
By that time the variant of the Northumbrian dialect (prevalent in Northern England) spoken in southeast Scotland was developing into the Scots language. The language of England as used after this time, up to 1650, is known as Early Modern English.

3. Match the following Old English words with their Anglo-Norman equivalent:
A. Pig Pork
B. Cow Beef
C. Wood Forest
D. Sheep Mutton
E. House Mansion
F. Worthy Honourable
G. Bold Courageous

4. Compare & contrast the structure of nouns, pronouns and verbs, between Middle English & Modern English.
The contrast of these kinds of words is that they are simplified , the grammar of Middle English is much closer to that of modern English than that of Old English. Compared to other Germanic languages, it is probably most similar to that of modern Dutch.

5. How is pronunciation different between Middle English and Modern English?
all letters in Middle English words were pronounced. (Silent letters in Modern English come from pronunciation shifts, which means that pronunciation is no longer closely reflected by the written form because of fixed spelling constraints imposed by the invention of dictionaries and printing.) Therefore 'knight' was pronounced [kniçt] (with a pronounced and the as the in German 'Knecht'), not [naɪt] as in Modern English.

6. What is the Chancery Standard, and how did it come into effect?
Chancery Standard was a written form of English used by government bureaucracy and for other official purposes from the late 15th century. It is believed to have contributed in a significant way to the development of the English language as spoken and written today. Because of the differing dialects of English spoken and written across the country at the time, the government needed a clear and unambiguous form for use in its official documents. Chancery Standard was developed to meet this need.

7. Who wrote the Canterbury Tales?
Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century.

8. Describe the medieval pilgrims who journeyed from Canterbury to London.
The pilgrimage was a very prominent feature of medieval society. Pilgrims would frequently journey to cathedrals that preserved relics of saints. They believed that such relics had miraculous powers. Pilgrimages also represented the mortal journey to heaven through the struggles of mortal life.

9. Why did the pilgrims take this journey?
They wend their way to Canterbury from every shire of England to seek the holy blessed martyr, Thomas Becket, who has helped them when they were sick.
10. It is thought that some of the stories in The Canterbury Tales originated in Italy. What was the name of the Italian book and who wrote it?
The Canterbury Tales were written in Middle English, specifically in a dialect associated with London and spellings associated with the then emergent chancery standard. Although no manuscript of the Tales exists in Chaucer's own hand, two were copied around the time of his death by Adam Pinkhurst.

11. The Canterbury Tales is considered an extremely important book, both in terms of English Literature & in the history of English writing. In your opinion, why is this book so important?
 This is a very important book because it is one of the first to be written in the English language.

12. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is:
c. A detailed explanation of the proper etiquette & behaviour for all knights in Medieval Europe.

13. Who is Sir Gawain?
He was a knight of King Arthur´s round table. 

14. What is the challenge that The Green Knight proposes to the Knights of the Round Table?
The Green Knight offers to allow anyone to strike him with his axe if the challenger will take a return blow in a year and a day.

15. What is the similarity between Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the Irish tale of Cúchulainn?
In this Irish tale of Cúchulainn parallels Gawain in that, like The Green Knight Cú Chulainn´s antagonist feints three blows with the axe before letting his target depart without injury.

16. What is the importance of the pentagram/pentangle in the poem?
The pentagle symbolizes the virtues to which Gawain aspires such as to be faultless in his five senses; never to fail in his five fingers; to be faithful to the five wounds that Christ received on the cross; to be strengthened by five joys that the Virgin Mary had in Jesus; and to possess brotherly love, courtesy, piety, and chastity.

17. How are numbers used to symbolize events in the poem?
The poet highlights number symbolism to add symmetry and meaning to the poem.

18. What is the significance of Sir Gawain's neck wound?
Gawain´s wound is an outward sign of an internal wound. 

19. Which actor played The Green Knight in the film adaptation, Sword of the Valiant? 
 Sean Connery
20. In many ways this poem is, in the modern sense, a soap opera. Compare Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with a modern Chilean teleseries.

assigment 7

jueves, 26 de noviembre de 2009


This report is intended to choose a new common room for students, when they are not in class scheduled.

Firstly, they need a special room because in their free time they need study or read something interesting, they need a library, very comfortable armchairs, radio, pc's and wi-fi. Everything necessary for quit study. I think that we have to remodel a room and bring it to former our students.

I would recommended to use a office that we don't use and remodel and decorate with some books, a few pc's and two armchairs. After, with the time we will put more things but for while it's enough.

There is no doubt that would be a good idea for us and for the students.

Thanks

Francisco Olmedo

assignment 6

jueves, 12 de noviembre de 2009


Dear Sir/Madam


I'm writting to complain in your newspaper about the demostration against the building of a by-pass for Oldbury. the reason it's for apart to extintion of a rare species of nail, it's for the destruction of woodland.


Secondly, in the protest we were over 2.000 people, not 200! so, I would like that you correct that error in your newspaper, also we were in a silent demostration, we did not chanted slogans at workers and police. we never blocked the access to the site.


thirdly, we were protest with people of other parts of the country but local resident were more than the others


I would suggest that your newspaper write better, if you want, you can send a reporter to interview me.


I'm looking forward to your reply.


Yours faithfully

Francisco


An Article

jueves, 29 de octubre de 2009


Why is it important for ordinary people to help in the fight against crime?

Well It's impotant for ordinary people fight against crime because people need to feel safe, people need quiet to do thing out them house and inside them house and people can do many things to fight against the crime.


Firstly, they can call the police with a emergency button or with a short number phone like 133 in Chile or 911 in U.S.A. Some company install alarms house and some are very effective, people use it when they go to vacations or when they sleep at the night.


Secondly, some people have a gun in their houses but sometimes that robbery ends vey sad, can die any people, or the deliquent or homeowner but if die the deliquent inside the house that it's Self-defense and the homeowner will never go to the jail, that it's an advantage.


In conclusion, you always have to star prepare to stop theft at your home with alarm systems or guns or telephones, etc. so you can stop theft and you will have the oportunity to take them to the jail.

Mid-term writing task

jueves, 8 de octubre de 2009

I can't believe that I won the first prize. now I prefer only July because I will have holidays and the others months I must to work it, also I don't have enough time on the year for be in holidays so I think that the best month will be July, now about accomodation I prefer log cabins because are more comfortables and have all it necesary: bathroom, bed etc. the tents are uncomfortables. about the activities I choose photograph and tennis because photograph it's my life, I love take picture to the animals, people and the landscape and that place must be amazing and tennis because it's my favorite sport, I'm very good with the racket, my friends call me Javier Federer but I have a questions. have I to take some money? because that all it's pay for your but you didn't tell me how much and have I take my own camera or you lend me one?

I hope your answer very soon.

Javier.





You have decided to enter a short story competition. The competition rules say that the story must begin or end with the following words:
They were sad to leave, but they had no choice.

Once upon a time three friends that rented a house near of the beach because they have to studing at the university and in that place they could study more relaxed. Each one have a bedroom but one day one of them dissapeared without trace and whole the small village know about his dissapareance, whole the village search the young student but suddenly appear a paper with a message "leave this house because if you don't leave it, you three die" "if you leave the house you will see to your friend with alive" they think about the message but they can't understand why do they have leave the house?
They were sad to leave it, but they had no choice. If they leave the house could see his friend .so, they leave the house and 2 days after could see his friend at the university with live.

Chain Stories

miércoles, 23 de septiembre de 2009


I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a house haunted, my first sensation was exciting but when I came in to the haunted house I felt very scared, I felt cold and very strange as if was looking me, then I saw next to me a skull. I never believed in those fantasy storys but was becoming true, Then I heard a scream on the second floor and my face looked fearfully every space of that house, In that moment I though...

A few sentences

jueves, 10 de septiembre de 2009

This server it's very special but I think that he had have been without breath for a lot of time.
These women may have been shooting a a man that try to rob her cars, they are very dangerous.
my friends may have been bored at their work

Miriam's disastrous trip.
1. What are some things that miriam definitely should have done before she left on her trip?
She should have planned her trip with a week in advance and she should have woken up earlier that day
2. What are some other things tah miriam definitely should have done before she left on her trip?
She should have known where was the center for not having problems after

3. What should she do now?
she should think about how to get to center and where she could enjoy more her trip