thou

"thou" is also a: user

created by JeffMagnus
(idea) by Segnbora-t (7.6 hr) (print)   (I like it!) Sat Nov 13 1999 at 10:11:16
Originally the singular second person pronoun in English; at that time "you" was always plural. Eventually "you" became formal and "thou" became informal, and to be polite people generally used the formal form. The Friends (Quakers) felt that no one deserved to be elevated above others, so they always used the informal form and preserved it.
(idea) by Velocity (1.7 y) (print)   (I like it!) 1 C! Sun Oct 14 2001 at 3:39:39
Don't use "you" when you mean "Thou"

This is a common mistake actually, so common that it's not considered a mistake any more.
The fact is that "Thou" is the second person singular, and "You" is the second person plural.

Here's an example:
"Art thou going to the theatre with me?" - That is only one person, it can't be mistaken for.
"Are you (lot) going to the theatre with me?" - Is modern English, this could be either singular or plural, (hence the "lot" which I added to make it plural for this example.)

Yeah, thou arst a poncy bastard if thou actually speak like this, but at least take note.

No offence to god though..

You know what's funny? I just realised I made the mistake I noded about in my title. Har Har.

(definition) by Webster 1913 (print) Wed Dec 22 1999 at 3:47:39

Thou (?), pron. [Sing.: nom. Thou; poss. Thy (?) or Thine (); obj. Thee (?). Pl.: nom. You (); poss. Your (?) or Yours (); obj. You.] [OE. thou, þu, AS. &edh;&umac;, &edh;u; akin to OS. & OFries. thu, G., Dan. & Sw. du, Icel. þ&umac;, Goth. þu, Russ. tui, Ir. & Gael. tu, W. ti, L. tu, Gr. sy`, Dor. ty`, Skr. tvam. 185. Cf. Thee, Thine, Te Deum.]

The second personal pronoun, in the singular number, denoting the person addressed; thyself; the pronoun which is used in addressing persons in the solemn or poetical style.

Art thou he that should come? Matt. xi. 3.

⇒ "In Old English, generally, thou is the language of a lord to a servant, of an equal to an equal, and expresses also companionship, love, permission, defiance, scorn, threatening: whilst ye is the language of a servant to a lord, and of compliment, and further expresses honor, submission, or entreaty."

Skeat.

⇒ Thou is now sometimes used by the Friends, or Quakers, in familiar discourse, though most of them corruptly say thee instead of thou.

 

© Webster 1913.

Thou, v. t.

To address as thou, esp. to do so in order to treat with insolent familiarity or contempt.

If thou thouest him some thrice, it shall not be amiss. Shak.

 

© Webster 1913.

Thou, v. i.

To use the words thou and thee in discourse after the manner of the Friends.

[R.]

 

© Webster 1913.

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