中英語
現代英語で多用されるいわゆる黙字(Silent letter。発音されない文字)はなく、どの字も読む。knightはナイト[nait]でなくクニヒト[kniçt]と読む。
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages
And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes
To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes; (ジェフリー・チョーサー、カンタベリー物語より)
straungeは二音節 (straun-ge)、palmeresは三音節 (pal-me-res) である。
Whan that Aprill with his shoures sote The droghte of Marche hath perced to the rote, And bathed euery veyne in swich licour, Of which vertu engendred is the flour; Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth Inspired hath in euery holt and heeth The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne Hath in the Ram his halfe course yronne, And smale fowles maken melodye, That slepen al the niȝt with open eye— So priketh hem Nature in hir corages— Than longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes, To ferne halwes, couthe in sondry londes; And specially, from euery shires ende Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende, The holy blissful martir for to seke, That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seke.