Looking for a bit of knowledge

Culhwch said:
Prithee, thine art interested. Very interested.

I know, I don't think I even got in the ballpark of using 'thine' right there...
Click to expand...
Prithee, thou art interested
Marry, thine interest is piqued.
Pyan is right though
First person =I/we
Third Person = he/she/they
Second Person = thou/you OK in speech, tends to be very bad in narrative (though Tolkein uses it quite well in passages of "The Hobbit.")
 
Thou, is the english equivalent of the German Du or French Tu, and has largely fallen into disuse (Thee is simply the form used when the one addressed is the oject of the sentence) thy is the possesive.

It would be used to address (always singular) family, friends, children , animals and (strangely) royalty and God.

e.g. Where art thou, William, thy father wants thee.
 
The form continues in Yorkshire (Dun't tha thee-tha me, tha little tyke) ("thou" would be used from a social superior to an inferior; I don't see it could ever be used for a reigning monarch, who is invariably plural (We are England, however singular an impression we give) and aparrently in some regions of Pennsyvania, emphasising the equality between Quakers (society of friends - friends need no formality) The verb tends to finish with a "t" sound (thou art, thou hast).
 
chrispenycate said:
The form continues in Yorkshire (Dun't tha thee-tha me, tha little tyke) ("thou" would be used from a social superior to an inferior; I don't see it could ever be used for a reigning monarch, who is invariably plural (We are England, however singular an impression we give) and aparently in some regions of Pennsyvania, emphasising the equality between Quakers (society of friends - friends need no formality) The verb tends to finish with a "t" sound (thou art, thou hast).
Click to expand...
Yup, nicked straight from German. Sorry Chris but I can't help thinking that any King of Scots using the royal "We," would have ended up in the nearest loch.
 
"Thy," and "Thine, " behave the same way as "My," and "Mine,"
Thou art, thou canst, thou goest thou hast, thoroughly germanic and the cause of many a slipup.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread starter Similar threads Forum Replies Date
A Looking For Superpower ideas Writing Discussion 16
Robert Zwilling Octopuses Are Looking Smarter Science & Nature 11
L Looking for a sci-fi book pre 1975 containing a specific phrase or insult that I read in a paper back, possibly an anthology Book Search 12
C (Found) Looking for Sci-fi novel (read it around 20 years ago I think) Book Search 2
A Looking for book where an Alien Glob Alien trades his knowledge telepathically with those who enter Book Discussion 2

Similar threads


Back
Top