When talking about the recent addition of “yeet” to Dictionary.com, along with a variety of COVID related words, the Gizmo writer, Judy Serrano, said that “English is a living language, one that is constantly changing to reflect the world and society we live in.” The truth of the statement applies not only to the culture today, but also to that of previous times. While the archaic language present in this article will not revolve around important events of the day, the language is as much a part of the culture as practice and makes up the literature and song that were written in medieval times.
Before we can get into the rich mine of wondrous archaic words that few people cared to remember, an article on the subject of important grammar that was in use at the time is in order. Although words such as “thee,” “ye,” “thou,” or “art” may be better known than many other archaic words, the grammar involved is often overlooked. The more exciting and most likely less familiar words will be examined later on.
“Tis,” a poor, unfortunate little word that is oft used and oft misused, shall be first. This word means “it is” and is a shortening of the phrase. It is wholly inappropriate to write “it tis,” for that would be like saying “it it is,” which is not only redundant, but pointless as well.
“Art” means “are” and the endings “-est” and “-eth” belong on verbs alone. “Est” is added onto a verb only in the second person, while “eth” is utilized in the singular third-person. A helpful tip in remembering this nuance, which is lined out in this picture from a slide by the Greater Waco Baptist Church, is to remember that the only letter that changes in each ending is the middle one; the “s” in “est” corresponds to the starting letter of “second person,” while the “t” in “eth” corresponds to the first letter of “third person.”
Finally, the archaic words “thee,” “thou,” “thy,” “thine,” “ye,” and “you” are of particular interest. When the English language lost these words, it lost more than people today would think. Today, the word “you” is the jack of all trades. It is used in the plural form, the singular form, and as both the subject and the object. Quite frankly, the use of “you” for just about everything is confusing, but it was not always that way. The word “thou” would mean the same as a singular “you,” when it acts as the subject. “Thee” meant “you” when it was singular and the object. “Thy” meant “your,” when used in the subject. “Thine,” or “thy own,” meant “your” when it was the object of the sentence. Finally, “ye” and “you” filled the massive gap we have in the English language for a clear, plural form of “you.” Rather than the slang word “y’all,” “ye” would be the plural “you” when in the subject, while the overworked “you” would rest happily where it belongs: in the plural object.
In the Shakespearean era, “thee,” “thou,” “ye,” and “you” would begin to become befuddled by making “ye” and “you” formal, while “thee” and “thou” were used either for rude effect or among intimate friends or family. This was not the original use of the words and is a common misconception today.
Works Cited:
Frederick, Nicole. “The Professional Importance of Grammar and How It Should Be Taught.” The Professional Importance of Grammar and How It Should Be Taught | The People, Ideas, and Things (PIT) Journal, 2015, pitjournal.unc.edu/article/professional-importance-grammar-and-how-it-should-be-taught.
Serrano, Jody. “The Word ‘Yeet’ Gets Its Own Official Entry on Dictionary.com.” Gizmodo, Gizmodo, 17 July 2021, gizmodo.com/olds-now-you-can-look-up-yeet-in-the-dictionary-instea-1847311141.
McKelroy, Gerald W. “’Eth’ and ‘Est’.” Greater Waco Baptist Church, 7 Mar. 2020, www.greaterwaco.org/sites/default/files/KJV%20Series/2011-05-15%20SUN%20PM.pdf.
Enless, Kaiter. “Thou, Thee, Thy, THINE & Ye: MEANINGS & Usage.” Logos Literature, 4 Jan. 2019, logosliterature.wordpress.com/2019/01/04/thou-thee-thy-thine-ye-meanings-usage/.
Photo Credit:
Frederick, Nicole. “The Professional Importance of Grammar and How It Should Be Taught.” The Professional Importance of Grammar and How It Should Be Taught | The People, Ideas, and Things (PIT) Journal, 2015, pitjournal.unc.edu/article/professional-importance-grammar-and-how-it-should-be-taught.