alderlevest adj.

  alderlevest 
TR5.575 “Ănd át thăt córnĕr, ín thĕ yóndĕr hóus,
TR5.576 Hérde Ĭ my̆n áldĕrlévĕst lády̆ déerĕ
TR5.577 Sŏ wómmănlý, wĭth vóis mĕlódĭóus,
TR5.578 Sýngĕn sŏ wél, sŏ góodly̆, ánd sŏ cléerĕ
TR5.579 Thăt ín my̆ sóulĕ yét mĕ thýnketh ĭch hérĕ
TR5.580 Thĕ blísfŭl sówn; ănd ín thăt yóndĕr plácĕ
TR5.581 My̆ lády̆ fírst mĕ tóok ŭntó hĭre grácĕ.”

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translation (Windeatt: 1998): And at that corner, in the house over there, I heard my most beloved, dear lady sing so well, so beautifully, so clearly, and in such a feminine way in her melodious voice, that it seems to me I still hear the heavenly sound in my soul! And in that place over there my lady first took me into her favour.’
  • Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): 向こうの家の、あの片隅で、おれの最愛の人はとても女性らしく振舞って、快い美しい声を発してとても上手に、思いやりを込め、はっきりと歌うのが聞こえた。まだおれの心の中からその至福の響きが聞こえてくるようだ。そしてあのあそこの所でおれの愛する人は初めておれに好意を示してくれたのだ。」
  • Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 在那所屋子的一角，我曾听见爱人的歌声，十分优美嘹亮。至今我心魂深处仍忘不了那优越的曲调；那边就是她首次垂怜于我的地方。”

Word Information

  • Etymology: alder (ME) + levest (OE)
  • Addresser: Troilus
  • Addressee: N/A
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: dear
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A (but see 5.54-5)
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: human beings (female: Criseyde)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: (Quoted) dearest of all, most dear. (s.v. alderliefest, adj. Brit.)
  • MED: Not quoted
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003: 293): alderlevest: most beloved  
  • Fisher (1989: 519): alderlevest: dearest of all
  • Benson (1987: 568): alderlevest: most beloved
  • Davis et al. (1979): very dearest (s.v. alderlevest, adj.)
  • Donaldson (1975: 954): alderlevest: dearest of all
  • Baugh (1963: 191): alderlevest: dearest of all

Possible Definitions

very dearest, dearest of all, most beloved

Comments from the Editor

After Criseyde leaves, Troilus grieves his loss in her empty house. This scene closely follows the text of Fil; however, the adjective “alderlevest” does not have a counterpart in the source text.

Notably, adjectives with the prefix “alder-” appear characteristic of Tr: they appear a total of eleven times in Chaucer’s work; five of the instances occur in Tr (four of the remaining mentions are found in BD and two in Bo).