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The spelling is unusually consistent for the time, which implies that it is an accurate representation of the author's speech: it has been described as "as close to a 'pure' dialect as we can get". As such, and particularly given our precise knowledge of its place and date of writing, it is an
189:
Rendered from the French original, one supposes by a "very incompetent translator," it is generally considered more valuable as a record of
Kentish pronunciation in the mid-14th century than exalted as a work of literature.
311:
Firstly, the vocabulary shows a marked preference for translating technical terms into compounds of
English words, rather than borrowing French or Latin terminology. The title itself is a common example: it uses
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was intended to provide a confessional treatise that would be accessible to "lewede men," those who could read neither French nor Latin, for the good of their souls. In this aim it can be compared to
275:
Ymende. þet þis boc is uolueld ine þe eve of þe holy apostles Symon an Iudas / of ane broþer of þe cloystre of sanynt Austin of
Canterburi / ine þe yeare of oure lhordes beringe 1340.
300:
It is usually assumed that
Michael of Northgate was himself the translator, not merely a copyist; the library of St Augustine's contained two copies of the French work at this time.
335:
Secondly, the orthography transparently reveals many details of pronunciation. Most notably, initial fricatives are regularly voiced: the word "sin" is spelt
204:
219:; the popularity of this latter text is demonstrated by the large number of surviving copies. The subject-matter is treated primarily
98:
70:
641:
576:
Thomson, Clara L. (1907). "Later
Transition English: Legendaries and Chroniclers", in Ward, A.W., and Waller, A.R., eds.
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246:. This can be stated with rare certainty, for the author specifies all these details himself, writing in the preface,
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This book is don
Michael of Northgate, written in English in his own hand, that's called: Remorse of Conscience.
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410:) also suggests retention of the Old English /hl/ consonant cluster. None of these features are found in the
308:
Since the work was intended for the use of
Kentish commoners, its language has a number of unusual features.
179:
329:
320:, "in-wit", or 'inward-knowledge', for modern English "conscience", both terms being literal translations (
254:þis boc is dan Michelis of Northgate / ywrite an englis of his oȝene hand. þet hatte: Ayenbyte of inwyt.
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457:. No demonstrable influence on later works has been found; a 19th-century theory that
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In the 20th century, the work gained some recognition when its title was adopted by
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invaluable resource in reconstructing the linguistic history of southern
England.
573:, volume 2 (introduction and commentary). EETS O.S. 278. Oxford University Press.
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appears not to have gained any popularity; only one copy has survived, in the
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Let it be known that this work was fulfilled on the eve of the holy apostles
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The surviving copy of the work was completed on 27 October 1340, by a
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compared to other specimens of Middle
English. For instance, the
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Dan Michel's
Ayenbite of Inwyt or Remorse of Conscience
550:
Dan Michel's Ayenbite of Inwyt or Remorse of Conscience
548:
Morris, Richard, ed, revised by Gradon, Pamela (1965).
178:
is the title of a confessional prose work written in a
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as a trope for conscience, especially in referencing
160:; literally, the "again-biting of inner wit," or the
58:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
316:, "again-bite", for modern English "remorse", and
608:
461:might have used the work as a source for his
328:("so be it"). It is thus an early example of
582:From the Beginnings to the Cycles of Romance
578:The Cambridge History of English Literature
428:As Michael explains in his postscript, the
227:are identified with the seven heads of the
472:, who used it numerous times in his novel
358:The text is also notable for its archaic
118:Learn how and when to remove this message
552:. EETS O.S. 23. Oxford University Press.
287:, by a brother of the cloister of Saint
420:, which is almost two centuries older.
609:
584:, 374-401. Cambridge University Press.
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589:Old and Middle English: An Anthology
564:From Old English to Standard English
56:adding citations to reliable sources
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212:), a late 13th century treatise on
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291:, in the Year of our Lord 1340.
202:is a translation of the French
43:needs additional citations for
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587:Treharne, Elaine, ed (2000).
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642:14th-century Christian texts
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330:linguistic purism in English
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627:Middle English literature
562:Freeborn, Dennis (1992).
465:has long been abandoned.
374:are still distinguished;
210:Book of Vices and Virtues
16:Middle English prose work
602:Full text at Archive.org
19:Not to be confused with
569:Gradon, Pamela (1979).
488:. In Joyce's spelling,
289:Augustine of Canterbury
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397:gernier/to þe gernier
267:And in a postscript,
591:. Oxford: Blackwell.
566:. London: Macmillan.
244:Michael of Northgate
52:improve this article
339:, "father" becomes
223:; for example, the
208:(also known as the
194:Origins and content
67:"Ayenbite of Inwyt"
21:Prick of Conscience
343:, "first" becomes
637:Ethics literature
535:Treharne 2000:526
526:Freeborn 1992:172
508:Thomson 1907: 396
490:agenbite of inwit
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108:February 2016
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41:This article
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45:verification
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617:1340s books
517:Gradon 1979
470:James Joyce
372:Old English
368:dative case
240:Benedictine
182:dialect of
611:Categories
496:References
451:Arundel MS
408:hlaford(e)
360:morphology
326:zuo by hit
233:Apocalypse
78:newspapers
580:, vol. I
557:Criticism
424:Reception
214:Christian
444:Ayenbite
430:Ayenbite
314:ayenbite
304:Language
217:morality
200:Ayenbite
156:of Inwit
148:Agenbite
140:Aȝenbite
543:Edition
475:Ulysses
459:Chaucer
416:, from
413:Ormulum
404:Lhord(e
322:calques
231:of the
180:Kentish
163:Remorse
92:scholar
481:Hamlet
349:averst
242:monk,
136:—also
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384:Lhord
345:verst
341:vader
337:zenne
318:inwyt
281:Simon
229:Beast
169:Prick
99:JSTOR
85:books
484:and
366:and
285:Jude
283:and
198:The
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71:news
370:of
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54:by
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391:þe
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