Listened to Lectures 9 and 10 from The History of the English Language, 2nd Edition by Seth Lerer from The Great Courses

Lecture 9: In this fascinating lecture, Professor Lerer looks closely at the changes wrought by the French in English during the 11th to the 14th centuries. In the process, he raises questions about what we might call the “sociology” of language change and contact.
Lecture 10: This lecture presents the central features of Chaucer’s English. Its goal is not only to address a particular period in the history of the language (or even in the history of literature) but to allow you to recognize and appreciate the force of Chaucer’s poetry and its indelible impact on English linguistic and literary history.

Lecture 9: What did the Normans do to English?
Words borrowed for two reasons

prestige
vacant slots with no native words

English words for animals in the countryside, but the words for cooked meats are French

cow/beef
deer/venison
sheep/mutton

Trilingualism: English, French, Latin

Lecture 10 Chaucer’s English

This lecture presents the central features of Chaucer’s English. Its goal is not only to address a particular period in the history of the language (or even in the history of literature) but to allow you to recognize and appreciate the force of Chaucer’s poetry and its indelible impact on English linguistic and literary history.
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