Brent French Pronunciation115

Brent French is a dialect of Old French spoken in the county of Kent, England. It is also known as the Kentish dialect and is one of the three main dialects of Old French, along with Anglo-Norman and Norman French. Brent French was spoken in Kent from the 11th century until the 15th century, when it was gradually replaced by Standard English.

The dialect is characterized by a number of distinctive features, including:
The use of the diphthong [ei] for the Old French diphthong [ai], as in meis (Old French mais, "but") and peis (Old French pais, "peace").
The use of the diphthong [au] for the Old French diphthong [a], as in saule (Old French salle, "hall") and maute (Old French malte, "malt").
The use of the diphthong [iu] for the Old French diphthong [u], as in hiuse (Old French huse, "house") and piune (Old French pune, "fist").
The use of the triphthong [ieu] for the Old French diphthong [i], as in lieu (Old French li, "there") and dieu (Old French di, "God").
The use of the palatal consonant [tʃ] for the Old French consonant [tʃ], as in tʃauncel (Old French chance, "chance") and tʃier (Old French chier, "dear").

These features are all thought to have originated in the Kentish dialect of Old English, which was spoken in the same area as Brent French. The Kentish dialect of Old English had a number of distinctive features, including the use of the diphthongs [ei], [au], and [iu], and the palatal consonant [tʃ]. These features were carried over into Brent French when it developed from Old English in the 11th century.

Brent French was used in a variety of written documents, including administrative records, legal documents, and literary texts. The most famous example of Brent French literature is the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. Chaucer was born in Kent and wrote the Canterbury Tales in the late 14th century. The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories told by a group of pilgrims on their way to Canterbury Cathedral. The stories are written in a variety of dialects, including Brent French. The Brent French dialect in the Canterbury Tales is characterized by the use of the diphthongs [ei], [au], and [iu], and the palatal consonant [tʃ].

Brent French gradually died out in the 15th century, as Standard English became the dominant language in Kent. However, the dialect left a lasting legacy on the English language. A number of words that are still used in English today originated in Brent French, including the words chance, dance, and lance. Additionally, the Brent French dialect has influenced the pronunciation of a number of words in Standard English, including the words house, mouse, and rouse.

Brent French is a fascinating and important dialect of Old French. It is a reminder of the rich linguistic history of England and has left a lasting legacy on the English language.

2025-02-10

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