Transforming Talk

The Problem with Gossip in Late Medieval England

By: Susan E. Phillips

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Paperback | 27 August 2012

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Paperback
248 Pages

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15.2 x 22.7 x 2.1

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In recent decades, scholars have shown an increasing interest in gossip’s social, psychological, and literary functions. The first book-length study of medieval gossip, Transforming Talk shifts the current debate and argues that gossip functions primarily as a transformative discourse, influencing not only social interactions but also literary and religious practices. Known as “jangling” in Middle English, gossip was believed to corrupt parishioners, disturb the peace, and cause civil and spiritual unrest. But gossip was also a productive cultural force; it reconfigured pastoral practice, catalyzed narrative experimentation, and restructured social and familial relationships.

Transforming Talk will appeal to a diverse audience, including scholars interested in late medieval culture, religion, and society; Chaucer; and women in the Middle Ages.

Industry Reviews

“Even if one is not convinced by the larger argument for the transformative capacity of idle talk, this study is filled with fresh, provocative readings that demonstrate the value of taking idle speech seriously.”

—Karla Taylor, Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies

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