In time it would have been more common to write a literary work such as The Canterbury Tales in?

You're right! In the time period when The Canterbury Tales was written (late 14th century), it would have been more common to write such a work in Middle English.

While Chaucer used a form of Middle English that was relatively standardized for the time, it's important to remember that the language was still evolving and varied significantly across regions.

Here's why Middle English was the common choice for literary works in that era:

* It was the language of the people: Although Latin was still used in scholarly and religious contexts, Middle English was the language spoken by the majority of the population. Chaucer's goal was to entertain and engage a wide audience, so he wrote in the language they understood.

* It was gaining prestige: Middle English was beginning to gain legitimacy as a literary language, replacing the older Anglo-Saxon (Old English). Chaucer helped solidify this transition with his influential work.

* Literary tradition: While some works were still being written in Latin, the growing body of English-language literature made Middle English a natural choice for Chaucer.

So, although we might not understand it easily today, Middle English was the most fitting language for *The Canterbury Tales* to be written in, considering its historical context.