Customer Reviews

A Chaucer Glossary

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My teenage son is currently studying Chaucer for his English literature class and is having a blast learning the Middle English and even older English phrases used in Chaucer's original writings. I am impressed because he usually hates literature, so aces to Davis for creating such a great motivating helpmate. (I have been using it, too, and it makes the translations easy and comprehension much better - wish I had had this when I was in high school),

While the seasoned Chaucerian may only need Davis for quick reference, beginning and advanced students alike will welcome this book as a helpful and perhaps indispensable guide. Each entry offers alternate spellings when applicable, possible definitions for different forms, the location in Chaucer where each word can be found, and brief etymologies. So for instance, when Chaucer uses the word "fetis" in his translation of the Romance of the Rose, Davis provides the definition as such:

fetis adj. 1. (of people) well made, graceful C.Pard 478, pretty RR 776, 1017, handsome 821, 829. 2. (of things) well made RR 532; elegant A.Prol 157, RR 1133. [AN fetiz]

What this means is that Chaucer not only uses this word often in the Romaunt of the Rose (RR), but that it also appears in the Pardoner's Tale (C.Pard) and the General Prologue (A.Prol). Norman provides both the sense used in each location along with the line number. He also lets us know that the word comes from the Anglo-Norman word "fetiz."

This is a great tool for students studying the use of particular words in Chaucer's vocabulary, and can actually be more helpful than the OED, if one is only studying Chaucer (however, one should always consult the OED for serious etymological work). Furthermore, it would be an excellent gift for any budding medievalist. Thank you to Davis, and five stars for his trouble.