Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 22/06/2005 15:04, YODAN wrote:

> ... I wonder if "you" in English used to have two different forms - a
> singular and a plural - that became one.  Does anyone know? ...

English had a singular "thou" and a plural "you", but as in French etc 
it became customary to use "you" also for the singular, to the extent 
that singular "thou" has almost died out, remaining only in some 
dialects and used by some for addressing God - in an ironic reversal, 
"thou" which originally was the less polite form being used as a term of 
respect for God.

But the Hebrew usage is independent of this modern (i.e. post-mediaeval) 
rejection of the singular "thou" etc found in most European languages.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/



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