Here's a more nuanced breakdown:
* The majority of people in England spoke Middle English during this period. This included people of all social classes, from peasants to nobles.
* The dialect spoken varied geographically, with different regions having distinct pronunciations and vocabulary. For example, the language spoken in London differed from that spoken in the north of England.
* While Middle English was the dominant language, other languages were also spoken in England at the time. These included:
* Norman French, which was spoken by the ruling class after the Norman Conquest.
* Latin, which was the language of scholarship and the Church.
* Welsh, Gaelic, and Cornish, which were spoken by the indigenous populations in Wales, Scotland, and Cornwall, respectively.
It's important to remember that Middle English was a living language, constantly evolving. The language we see in texts like Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is not identical to the language spoken in all parts of England at that time. However, it provides a valuable window into the diverse and vibrant language of medieval England.