Chaucer's Use of Nonce Words, Primarily in the 'Canterbury Tales'

Author / Editor
Scheps, Walter.

Title
Chaucer's Use of Nonce Words, Primarily in the 'Canterbury Tales'

Published
Neuphilologische Mitteilungen 80 (1979): 69-77.

Description
Nonce words in CT illustrate a correlation between conventionality in subject matter and conventionality in diction. Because nonce words increase as Chaucer's career progresses, their frequency can be used for relative dating. Following this process, one would conclude that Anel is part of Chaucer's "juvenilia" and that the F version of the "Prologue" to LGW comes after either the G version or the legends themselves.

Chaucer Subjects
Language and Word Studies.
Anelida and Arcite.
Legend of Good Women.