DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61385#0191
Chapter XV.—The Dialect of the Poem. clxxxv
following combinations. Non is embodied in- rime with don (pp.)
263 and with idon 545, etc. also occurs with do 9, 207, 897. go is
united with do (pp.) 875; po with misdo 557 ; mo with do 273;
and so with do 173, 673. wo is in rime with do 484 and 917.
2. The representative vowels i, i, < O.E. y, y (umlaut of u, u), in
rime with stable i i, offer conclusive evidence for Midland dialect.
Conclusive Midland forms are found in the following combinations :
mynde with binde 496 ; and pride with side 656 ; sinne : winne 131,
472, 693, 845, 1007 ; sinne : widinne 117 ; sinne : blinne 713 ; sinne :
inne 732; sinne : perinne 839 ; sinne : biginne 902; puite : luite
924. The self-rimes, pride : huide 158; minde : kinde 620; agilt :
fulfill 308 ; gilt : pylt 232, and gilt : ipult 888, contribute nothing in
the specification of the dialect, but confirm the testimony of decisive
rimes.
3. Conclusive for Midland influence is the inflectional form in the
plural of the present indicative. The ending -e is uniformly returned
by riming couplets: (we) finde : (winde) 669 ; {men) rede : {seid'e
for sede) 692 ; Hue {3 phi.) : {fine, inf.) 184. The number of these
forms is increased by the plurals of the regular text in its various
MSS. Ci. fallen 170; sholen 281, 288, 295, 309, etc.
4. A Midland country in its Eastern division or a Southern
neighbourhood is the evidence of yep : {unmep) 616, third person
singular, and possibly sep (subject, men = one) : bep (plu.) 818.
Inflection by means of -est and -ep in the second and third persons
singular is abundant in positions not supported by the rime. Inde-
cisive is the form sist : bist 554. The text also affords plural verbs
marked by the Southern ending -ep : bep 23, 97; louep 23; seip
339; bisekep 504; Makep 828; pinkep 150; wasshfp 825.
5. Apparently contradicting a claim to Midland origin through a
form peculiar to the Kentish vocabulary but used by Chaucer, is the
rime fyr : her (O.E. her) 451; fire : here (O.E. hyran, human, Angl.
heran, i- umlaut of ea) has no value in determining dialect, see
Kolbing, Sir Beues, p. xvi. dede : stede 598, 603, may be read
dide : stide, or dude : stude. dide (sing, or plu.) is explained by
Morsb. § 130, Anm. 6, as representing an older i (y); stede preserves
Kentish -e-; see reference to Siev., Beitr., vol. xvi., p. 235, Morsb.,
§ 132, Anm. 2. This form is employed by Rbt. of G., v. 330, but
it was found in all parts of England; cf. Gen. and Ex., 1298, 1836.
Eor styde, see Streitberg, Urgerm. Gram., p. 44, N. 1.
6. Southern is the infinitive in -i, y: herkny : {merci) 523;
following combinations. Non is embodied in- rime with don (pp.)
263 and with idon 545, etc. also occurs with do 9, 207, 897. go is
united with do (pp.) 875; po with misdo 557 ; mo with do 273;
and so with do 173, 673. wo is in rime with do 484 and 917.
2. The representative vowels i, i, < O.E. y, y (umlaut of u, u), in
rime with stable i i, offer conclusive evidence for Midland dialect.
Conclusive Midland forms are found in the following combinations :
mynde with binde 496 ; and pride with side 656 ; sinne : winne 131,
472, 693, 845, 1007 ; sinne : widinne 117 ; sinne : blinne 713 ; sinne :
inne 732; sinne : perinne 839 ; sinne : biginne 902; puite : luite
924. The self-rimes, pride : huide 158; minde : kinde 620; agilt :
fulfill 308 ; gilt : pylt 232, and gilt : ipult 888, contribute nothing in
the specification of the dialect, but confirm the testimony of decisive
rimes.
3. Conclusive for Midland influence is the inflectional form in the
plural of the present indicative. The ending -e is uniformly returned
by riming couplets: (we) finde : (winde) 669 ; {men) rede : {seid'e
for sede) 692 ; Hue {3 phi.) : {fine, inf.) 184. The number of these
forms is increased by the plurals of the regular text in its various
MSS. Ci. fallen 170; sholen 281, 288, 295, 309, etc.
4. A Midland country in its Eastern division or a Southern
neighbourhood is the evidence of yep : {unmep) 616, third person
singular, and possibly sep (subject, men = one) : bep (plu.) 818.
Inflection by means of -est and -ep in the second and third persons
singular is abundant in positions not supported by the rime. Inde-
cisive is the form sist : bist 554. The text also affords plural verbs
marked by the Southern ending -ep : bep 23, 97; louep 23; seip
339; bisekep 504; Makep 828; pinkep 150; wasshfp 825.
5. Apparently contradicting a claim to Midland origin through a
form peculiar to the Kentish vocabulary but used by Chaucer, is the
rime fyr : her (O.E. her) 451; fire : here (O.E. hyran, human, Angl.
heran, i- umlaut of ea) has no value in determining dialect, see
Kolbing, Sir Beues, p. xvi. dede : stede 598, 603, may be read
dide : stide, or dude : stude. dide (sing, or plu.) is explained by
Morsb. § 130, Anm. 6, as representing an older i (y); stede preserves
Kentish -e-; see reference to Siev., Beitr., vol. xvi., p. 235, Morsb.,
§ 132, Anm. 2. This form is employed by Rbt. of G., v. 330, but
it was found in all parts of England; cf. Gen. and Ex., 1298, 1836.
Eor styde, see Streitberg, Urgerm. Gram., p. 44, N. 1.
6. Southern is the infinitive in -i, y: herkny : {merci) 523;