Resisting the Linguistic Hierarchy: Heretical Language and the Rise of Middle English

dc.contributor.advisorMcKinley, Kathryn
dc.contributor.authorGaylor, S. River
dc.contributor.departmentEnglish
dc.contributor.programTexts, Technologies, and Literature
dc.date.accessioned2021-09-01T13:54:58Z
dc.date.available2021-09-01T13:54:58Z
dc.date.issued2020-01-20
dc.description.abstractIn the 14th and 15th centuries, English went from a vernacular language to one used in literary and religious contexts. As a vernacular, English was the language of the lower and middle classes, and Latin was the language of religion and academia. The Lollards were early Christian reformers that argued for vernacular translations of the Bible as a class issue of access to religion. This theses explores the impact and interaction Lollards had on England'slinguistic landscape. Early Middle English authors such as Geoffrey Chaucer, William Langland, and the Gawain-poet made linguistic choices that reflect Lollard influence in their writings. The Catholic church responded to the use of the vernacular by limiting English teaching on religion and English translations of the Bible in order to maintain their linguistic power, and this led to the heresy trials of the 15th century, but failed to halt the increasing use of English.
dc.formatapplication:pdf
dc.genretheses
dc.identifierdoi:10.13016/m2wh4q-h0ki
dc.identifier.other12145
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11603/22772
dc.languageen
dc.relation.isAvailableAtThe University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Texts, Technologies, and Literature Department Collection
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Theses and Dissertations Collection
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Graduate School Collection
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Student Collection
dc.sourceOriginal File Name: Gaylor_umbc_0434M_12145.pdf
dc.subjectChaucer
dc.subjectLollards
dc.subjectMiddle English
dc.subjectVernacular Theology
dc.titleResisting the Linguistic Hierarchy: Heretical Language and the Rise of Middle English
dc.typeText
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