gret adj. & adv. & n.

2022-09-09 gret

TR5.1793 Ănd fór thĕr ís sŏ grét dĭvérsĭté
TR5.1794 Ĭn Énglĭssh ánd ĭn wríty̆ng óf ŏure tóngĕ,
TR5.1795 Sŏ préy Ĭ Gód thăt nón my̆swrítĕ thé,
TR5.1796 Nĕ thé my̆smétrĕ fór dĕfáute ŏf tóngĕ;
TR5.1797 Ănd réd whĕrsó thŏw bé, ŏr éllĕs sóngĕ,
TR5.1798 Thăt thów bĕ úndĕrstónde, Gŏd Í bĭséchĕ!
TR5.1799 Bŭt yét tŏ púrpŏs óf my̆ ráthĕr spéchĕ:

Line Information

Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
English translations (Windeatt: 1998): And because there is such great diversity in English, and in the writing of our tongue, I pray to God that no one mistranscribe you, nor ruin the metre on account of any deficient command of the language. And wherever you may be read, or else sung, I beseech God that you may be understood! But now back to the point of what I was saying before.
Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): わが国語は音や綴りにおいて、著しい多様性があるために、私は誰もが汝を写し誤らないようにと神に祈る、また韻律も言語力不足のせいで誤らないようにと祈る。汝はどこで読まれようと歌われようと、理解されるようにと神に切に願う！ともあれ、これから話の本筋に再びもどろう。
Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 英文写作的格调是繁复的，愿上帝勿让旁人誊抄错误，或因发音的缺陷而错读了韵律。在唱诵的时候，愿上帝勿使人误解了原意！现在且回到原题上来。—

Word Information

Etymology: OE
Addresser: Narrator
Addressee: N/A
Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
Noun(s) (NPs) modified: difference (diversite)
Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

OED: Not quoted
MED: Not quoted

Commented in other previous works:
Windeatt (2003): N/A
Fisher (1989): N/A
Benson (1987): N/A
Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
Donaldson (1975): N/A
Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

considerable in degree

Comments from the Editor

This stanza is often quoted when Chaucer’s serious attitude toward transcription is described.