Old French borrowings in "The Owl and the Nightingale"

Kari J Smith-Boyer, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Abstract

Old French Borrowings in "The Owl and the Nightingale" ascertains the quantity and nature of Old French words present in this thirteenth-century Middle English poem. Patterns of borrowing, whether source-based or subject-based, are identified and problematic words, such as cognates, are investigated for probable language of origin. These patterns are then examined for what they may reveal about the author and audience of "The Owl and the Nightingale." Included is an appendix listing each borrowed term and cognate in alphabetical order with definitions and parts of speech.