Middle English and Early modern English had a stable process of standardization in English Language. The written and spoken language of London continued to evolve and gradually began to have a greater influence in the country at large. For most of the Middle English period a dialect was simply what was spoken in a particular area, which would normally be more or less represented in writing . It was only when the broadly London standard began to dominate, especially through the new technology of printing, that the other regional varieties of the language began to be seen as different in kind. As the London standard became used more widely, especially in more formal contexts and particularly among the more elevated members of society, the other regional varieties came to be stigmatized, as lacking social prestige and indicating a lack of education.
In the medieval and early modern periods the influence of English spread throughout the British Isles, and from the early seventeenth century on its influence began to be felt throughout the world. The intricate processes of exploration, colonization and overseas trade that characterized Britain’s external relations for several centuries caused also a significant change in English.
The four factors contributed to the standardization of English during the late Middle English and Early Modern English periods are:
the development of printing
the spread of education (literacy)
improved transportation
a growing awareness of dialect as a class barrier.
