Paston家書翰集の英語と"pe langage off pe worshypfull Londonerys"
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概要
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The Pastons developed their language by acquiring different linguistic habits from their predecessor. N. Davis suggests, "They were conscious of a model worthy of imitation. "Then what language did they imitate? Some of the spellings and the word forms found in London English are rather modern, but others historical and regional. This is "because several dialects were mingled up together according as the population flowed into London". Through this process "an incipient standard written language" was established about the end of the 14th century. This might be the language used at the Inns of Court at which William I was educated. The first generation, William I's spellings are "generally close to the practice of good manuscripts of his time", but some of his word forms remain historical and regional. The character of his language is very near to that written standard in London. He did not change his linguistic habits all through his life. Chancery established "the standard for bureaucratic and legal language, and spread it throughout England by 1460". The second generation, John I, William II and Clement graduated from Cambridge. The spellings and the word forms in their early letters are highly characteristic of Norfolk writers. They were slow to improve their Norfolk hands because "Norfolk spellings were accepted at Cambridge". Fisher says, "the members of the family who went to the university continued to write the English of their Norfolk relatives". But their language changed little by little when they wrote from London in 1460. They might begin to adopt the Chancery standard forms. The third generation, John II, and John III, also, changed their linguistic habits after 1470, by imitating the Chancery standard. But they did not standardize all the spellings and all the word forms. Perhaps they did not need to do so, because they were not professional scribes, and because they did not write official documents; even so, they were not necessarily indifferent to the Chancery standard. The language of the signet office was much more important to them. This was being developed "by the royal scribes on the basis of one type of written standard dialect in London", and was used in the loyal court. For those who took service in the loyal court, it must have been "pe langage off worshypfull Londonerys". They did not dare to change the spellings and the word forms which were accepted in the loyal court, even if they were non-Chancery forms. This proves that various non-Chancery spellings and word forms are seen in the letters written by John II who lived as a courtier. Edmond II was educated at Staple Inn. William II graduated from Eton, and Walter from Oxford. Fisher's suggestion of their linguistic change is not correct. Many of the Chancery standard forms are also found in their letters. The education that they had received was "under the influence of Chancery". Now, "the Chancery standard was completely accepted among the literates". So they could not go on without having much to do with the standardization of their language. Not only John II and John III, but also the members of the family who went to the university began to use the Chancery standard after they went to London.
- 1983-01-20
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