Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 2+ (B), University of Duisburg-Essen (Anglistics), course: Hauptseminar: Aspects of the history of English, language: English, abstract: In this work I examine the history of the English language - especially the Middle English period throughout Geoffrey Chaucer. I also want to show how English has developed over the years and how it has been influenced. After the general view on Chaucer’s life and influences I try to give an overview of several aspects of the English language at this time. But I have to say that I can not go too far in detail in some points because there are too much facts which have influenced the English language. At last I close with a short view about the Early-Modern-English period.