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Old 13-Apr-2007, 22:24
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Default thou-you

Hi friends!

I've been seeing the usage of "thou" instead "you" in some ancient English texts lately.

My question's the following: in which period of history did that usage change, more or less?

Thanks in advance!

Adri
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Old 13-Apr-2007, 22:54
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Default Re: thou-you

The Quakers used thou and thee in speech until very recently. However, in prose writing the transition was during the 18th century, particularly once novels became increasingly popular. Sterne, Sheridan and Fielding all use "you". Thee and thou continued to be used in poetry for far longer.

Good outline here: AUE: Thou, Thee, and Archaic Grammar
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Old 14-Apr-2007, 03:03
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Default Re: thou-you

It also survived in some dialects into the twentieth century- DH Lawrence uses it in some of his early novels.
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Old 15-Apr-2007, 12:23
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Default Re: thou-you

Thank you all!
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