Referring to oneself as “you”

[Npal]

If one were to refer to themselves as “you”, what would be the grammatical term for this? For example,

The man turned his attention inward. “You’re so arrogant to think you’re worth all this trouble”, he said to himself.

I found definitions of illeism but I don’t think that describes this particular use of the word “you”. Is this a form of using third person or second person?

 

[5jj]

That is not illeism.

The person is talking to himself as though to another person,

 

[emsr2d2]

If one were to refer to themselves oneself as “you”, what would be the grammatical term for this? For example,

The man turned his attention inward. “You’re so arrogant to think you’re worth all this trouble”, he said to himself.

Is this a form of using third person or second person?

It's the second person, as "you" always is. It doesn't matter who the word is aimed at or spoken by. "You" is either second person singular or second person plural.

 

[Skrej]

I don't know what the term for this is (or if there even is one), but it's something I do quite frequently, usually when thinking aloud to myself or admonishing myself for a mistake.


"Okay Skrej, it looks like you need to put the thingy-bob in the hole first before trying to snap the two inserts into place. That'll hold them together while you line up the other side. Noo, you #$%# idiot, you just put the wheel on backwards. Now you'll have to re-do it from the start you $@%^% genius. "

(I'm rather verbally abusive to myself.)

 

[Tarheel]

I do that.

Me: You idiot!
Myself: That's not nice.
Me: Well, I guess I'm not a nice person.

 

[emsr2d2]

It's a pretty common thing to do. If you're ever unfortunate enough to see me playing tennis, you'll hear me mutter "You f*cking idiot!" at myself every time I make a stupid mistake.