Felo

Middle English Translator | Free Modern English

Free Middle English translator for Modern English meanings and historical-language drafts. Use a labeled late-medieval default, check dictionary senses, preserve source spelling when reading, and distinguish Middle English from Anglo-Saxon or Shakespearean text. Results come first.

What is Middle English Translator | Free Modern English?

Middle English Translator | Free Modern English is an English-facing assistant for reading Middle English and drafting short historical-language passages. Paste your text and receive a translation, reading explanation, or supported draft directly. The default convention is a late-fourteenth-century Chaucer-era / East Midlands reading convention for new drafts. Explanations are in English, while translated wording follows the language you request.

The assistant works with the meaning of your actual passage: who acts, what happens, and which details must stay intact. Negatives, names, quantities, and conditions should survive the translation. Optional preferences can refine a result, but you do not need to choose from a setup menu first.

Key Features

Middle English to Modern English reading explanations.
Modern English drafts with a stated period convention.
Dictionary-sense checks for false friends and variant spellings.
Distinction between source wording, normalization, and new composition.

How to Use

Paste a word, sentence, or short passage. Include surrounding text when it changes the meaning. Publicly readable text URLs and attachment text already accessible in the conversation can also be used.
Specify the direction or task if needed: translate into Middle English, explain in English, check a proposed line, or revise a selected sentence. For a historical source, include its period or edition when known.
Read the result beside your original. Essential notes identify a real ambiguity or unsupported form. If you request a revision, name the part to change; the next response can use the available conversation.

A verified short example
Input: Explain “witen”.

English meaning: “to know (verb; context selects the sense)”.

Reference: University of Michigan Middle English Dictionary, witen verb entry. This example supports the listed form or expression, not every possible grammatical context. A dictionary headword alone is not a complete sentence translation.

Example Use Cases

Middle English to Modern English translator: Understand a short passage while retaining the source’s logical meaning.
Modern English to Middle English translator: Draft a brief historical-language line with a labeled convention.
Chaucer English translator: Explain a difficult word or clause using its context and dictionary evidence.

Tips for Best Results

Keep a complete thought and preserve the surrounding context for an idiom or ambiguous word. A literal gloss and a natural sentence can be different useful outputs.
State any exact names, links, or phrases that must remain unchanged. For source-based work, supply the passage and its reference rather than a description of unseen text.
Write “output only” for just the result. Unsupported concepts remain visibly marked rather than replaced with invented words. Normal responses end after the useful result, without a repeated follow-up question.

FAQ

What input is supported, and how much can I send?

Pasted text is the most direct input. Readable public pages and text already accessible from attachments can also be used. If a source cannot be read, paste the excerpt. Long passages are handled in coherent portions of up to 600 source words or 30 lines, with the stopping point stated. Audio and arbitrary file exports are not promised.

How accurate is the translation?

Period, region, spelling, and genre affect interpretation. A dictionary sense must fit the passage, and a new draft should not be presented as something a historical author actually wrote. The assistant checks uncertain vocabulary and constructions against suitable references. When support is missing, it gives a conservative paraphrase or marks the exact gap. A fluent-looking result is not treated as proof of historical or canonical status.

How does this compare with Polytranslator’s Middle English page?

Its page discusses historical Middle English translation and examples. This agent emphasizes dictionary senses and a declared period convention, with new drafts distinguished from quotations. Alex Lyman’s search result is a machine-translation project account, not interchangeable evidence for every historical form.

Can I request only the result or a focused revision?

Yes. “Output only” removes explanatory commentary while retaining necessary gap markers. A focused revision can change one line or clarify one meaning using the text already available. The default is one useful result, with a specific note only when it materially helps. Try it free with a short passage you already have.