Here's a breakdown of the key differences:
Middle English:
* Time period: 1150 - 1500
* Characteristics:
* Significant influence from Norman French after the Norman Conquest of 1066, leading to a large influx of French vocabulary and grammatical structures.
* More inflections (word endings) than modern English.
* Pronunciation differed significantly from Modern English.
* Literature: Notable works include *Canterbury Tales* by Chaucer and *Sir Gawain and the Green Knight*.
* Examples:
* "Ich have a bok" (I have a book)
* "He wente to the forest" (He went to the forest)
Modern English (or simply "English"):
* Time period: 1500 - present
* Characteristics:
* Fewer inflections than Middle English, resulting in a simpler grammar.
* Pronunciation has evolved considerably since Middle English.
* Extensive use of Latin and Greek roots in vocabulary.
* Vastly expanded vocabulary and literary tradition.
* Examples:
* "I have a book."
* "He went to the forest."
In a nutshell:
* Middle English is a historical stage of the language.
* English is the current, evolving form of the language.
Think of it like this: Middle English is like a teenager, still developing and influenced by its parents (Old English and Norman French). Modern English is like an adult, with a more stable grammar and a wider vocabulary.