Origin & Evolution of Languages

[JoatSimeon at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/14/99 12:16:52 AM Mountain Daylight Time,
elwhitaker at FTC-I.NET writes:

>In other European languages, such as French, Russian, and German, there are
>definite social and cultural protocols about the circumstances in which one
>should use intimate or formal "you" forms.

-- there were in English in the 17th century as well.  "Thee" corresponded
exactly with French "tu" or German "du" -- it was used to intimates, social
inferiors, and children.  "You" was used to superiors; it was the
formal/deferential mode.  Parents used "thee" to children, for example, and
children used "you" to their parents.

For a low-status Quaker to use "thee" to a higher-status non-Quaker was
socially subversive and in the context of the time, insulting.