Final answer:
The Canterbury Tales is written in Middle English, which was used after the Norman Conquest until the late 15th century. This historical form of English is noticeably different from modern English in terms of vocabulary and syntax.
Step-by-step explanation:
The The Canterbury Tales is written in Middle English, which is a historical form of the English language spoken after the Norman Conquest until the late 15th century. One notable example of Middle English literature is from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Prologue of The Canterbury Tales:
"Whan that aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of march hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Whan zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth"
This form of English differs significantly from modern English both in vocabulary and syntax, featuring a range of spellings and pronunciations that modern readers might find challenging without specialized study or explanatory notes.