Auchinleck Manuscript - Language

Language

The Auchinleck, in its present state, consists of forty-three pieces of literature. All of these works are in Middle English but the language used has been determined to be several differing dialects that would have been used in different parts of England. These dialects further serve to determine the origins of the scribes, such as London as opposed to south-west Midlands, as they would have written the language in the manner they spoke as well as the spelling they were taught, which furthers the question of translation.

Since the language is consistent within each lay or romance, it is surmised the scribes worked independently on each whole story as opposed to the manner more commonly used in monasteries in which the monks would copy text directly from the exemplars, only one page at a time, with a catchword inscribed at the bottom corner for later collation. Although there are catchwords in the manuscript, each scribe would have been responsible for all of the pages of each of his assignments. This newer method of production suggests that one production manager was responsible for contracting the work, gave each scribe assignments that included whole stories, while overseeing the project, and being the contact person to the client if the book was indeed bespoke, or special order.

Also of significance is that the Auchinleck manuscript is the first known anthology of English literature, particularly the largest collection of English romances up until that time. Previously the use of Latin or French had been almost exclusive in books, but English was beginning to be an acceptable language for pamphlets and literature. It was during this time that the English were beginning to shift away from French and to form a separate identity, socially and politically, so it would follow that the use of “Inglisch”, as it is referred to in the manuscript, in the written word would be a source of national unification.