Studies in the dialect and palaeographical materials of the medieval West Country
The aim of this thesis is to provide a comprehensive phonological and morphosyntactic overview of the dialect materials found in Devon, Dorset and Somerset during the Middle Ages. Building on methodology developed during the creation of the Linguistic Atlas of Late Mediaeval English, the present study involves the resurveying of sources mapped in the Atlas and, from the data gathered, an in-depth look at medieval West-Country dialect areas and diachronic dialectal changes. In particular, this study aims to develop new ways of analysing and profiling both historical dialectal and palaeographical material using computer-assisted methods. The relationship between speech and writing during the medieval period is complex. This is especially the case in a conservative and, in many ways, geographically isolated area like the West Country. A survey of spellings found in the medieval texts localised to the West Country in the Linguistic Atlas of Late Mediaeval English affords valuable insights into the, often archaic, phonology of the area and also the rapidly standardising graphetic practices of scribes during this period. Proceeding from the initial collection of graphemic, phonological and morphosyntactic information,
Lawson, Eleanor
P Philology. Linguistics
Studies in the dialect and palaeographical materials of the medieval West Country. The aim of this thesis is to provide a comprehensive phonological and morphosyntactic overview of the dialect materials found in Devon, Dorset and Somerset during the Middle Ages. Building on methodology developed during the creation of the Linguistic Atlas of Late Mediaeval English, the present study involves the resurveying of sources mapped in the Atlas and, from the data gathered, an in-depth look at medieval West-Country dialect areas and diachronic dialectal changes. In particular, this study aims to develop new ways of analysing and profiling both historical dialectal and palaeographical material using computer-assisted methods. The relationship between speech and writing during the medieval period is complex. This is especially the case in a conservative and, in many ways, geographically isolated area like the West Country. A survey of spellings found in the medieval texts localised to the West Country in the Linguistic Atlas of Late Mediaeval English affords valuable insights into the, often archaic, phonology of the area and also the rapidly standardising graphetic practices of scribes during this period. Proceeding from the initial collection of graphemic, phonological and morphosyntactic information,
studies dialect material medieval west_country aim_provide comprehensive phonological morphosyntactic overview dialect_material find devon dorset somerset middle_ages building develop creation linguistic atlas late mediaeval english present_study involve source map atlas data_gather depth look medieval west country dialect area diachronic dialectal change particular study aim_develop new_way analyse profile historical dialectal material use_computer method relationship speech_write medieval_period complex especially case conservative many_way geographically isolated area like west_country survey spelling find medieval text localise west_country linguistic atlas late mediaeval english affords valuable insight often archaic phonology area also rapidly standardise practice period proceeding initial collection phonological morphosyntactic information