This text is designed to provide undergraduate students of English historical linguistics with a concise description of the language during the period 1100-1500. Middle English, the language of Chaucer, is discussed in relation to both earlier and later stages in the history of English, and in relation to other languages with which it came into contact. Features of the text include: the historical and geographical contexts of Middle English; the evidence for Middle English; the principal features of Middle English spelling, pronunciation grammar and vocabulary; an introduction to Middle English dialectology; selected Middle English texts, both literary and non-literary; Most other introductory books on Middle English focus on literary rather than linguistic matters; this book is designed to redress the balance, by providing students of English language with an up-to-date, authoritative survey which takes account of recent trends in historical linguistics.