[thechat] QOTD (especially for Texas residents - Hi Kyra, Sam & Dex!)

[Bob Davis]

On Wednesday, April 25, 2001, at 05:30 PM, Erika Meyer wrote:

> So "you" was plural & "thou" singular... but wasn't there also a polite 
> singular: "thee"?
>

Thee may have been a dative case...like:

  I give thee some ham.

> (thou, thee, you...
>
> and in German:
> Du, Sie, Euch.)

  dir, Ihnen, and euch.

Ich gebe dir etwas Speck
Ich gebe Ihnen etwas Speck, Euer G'naden...
Ich gebe euch etwas Speck.

Even in very formal (like never used any more, unless you are in Vienna) 
German, it is considered proper to not say "you" (Sie in any case), but 
rather to refer to "the Gentleman", "the Lady", or what have you.  
Waiters in the better cafes do it in Vienna.

(I've forgotten so much German...it's terrible..I hope I haven't made 
any mistakes here..)

bob

--
bob davis
bobd at members.evolt.org