Italian poetry became the dominant influence on Chaucer's work after the 1370s. Boccaccio, who was obviously familiar with Dante and Petrarch's writings, was an important source. So were various Latin poets. But it was an Italian poet who had the most profound effect on Chaucer: Petrarch. Petrarch is known for his love sonnets, but he also wrote philosophical works, religious poems, and political pamphlets that use rhetorical questions to express their authors' views on government and society. This last genre especially influenced Chaucer who used questions throughout The Canterbury Tales to suggest possible answers to those seeking wisdom from others or themselves. In addition to these classical writers, Chaucer may have been aware of some French poets such as courtly lovers like Pierre de Corbie and Phillippe du Val. But the main language he used to compose his works was now becoming more and more formalized version of English rather than French or Latin. Chaucer took words from many languages and adapted them to create a new one that could express thoughts and ideas about life in the 14th century.