Chapter 12: Pronouns
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Ulrich Busse
Abstract
The chapter discusses the most important developments and changes of EModE personal and possessive pronouns and the explanations provided in the relevant specialist literature. As many of the pronoun changes were rather longterm developments, often originating in late Old English or Middle English, wherever necessary a short glance backwards or forwards into Modern English will be taken. The rise and the demise of the following variants is treated in detail: the third-person plural pronouns them and hem, the third-person singular neuter pronouns his and its, the first and second-person singular possessives my and thy vs. mine and thine, the second-person plural pronouns ye and you, and the second-person singular and plural pronouns thou and you. Methodologically, the EModE period (1500-1700) is broken down into three isolectal stages showing both the inventory and the use of forms at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the period.
Abstract
The chapter discusses the most important developments and changes of EModE personal and possessive pronouns and the explanations provided in the relevant specialist literature. As many of the pronoun changes were rather longterm developments, often originating in late Old English or Middle English, wherever necessary a short glance backwards or forwards into Modern English will be taken. The rise and the demise of the following variants is treated in detail: the third-person plural pronouns them and hem, the third-person singular neuter pronouns his and its, the first and second-person singular possessives my and thy vs. mine and thine, the second-person plural pronouns ye and you, and the second-person singular and plural pronouns thou and you. Methodologically, the EModE period (1500-1700) is broken down into three isolectal stages showing both the inventory and the use of forms at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the period.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Table of Contents V
- Abbreviations VII
- Chapter 1: Introduction 1
- Chapter 2: Early Modern English: Overview 8
- Chapter 3: Phonology 27
- Chapter 4: Morphology 47
- Chapter 5: Syntax 68
- Chapter 6: Lexicon and semantics 89
- Chapter 7: Pragmatics and discourse 108
- Chapter 8: Dialects 128
- Chapter 9: Language contact 150
- Chapter 10: Standardization 167
- Chapter 11: Sociolinguistics 188
- Chapter 12: Pronouns 209
- Chapter 13: Periphrastic DO 224
- Chapter 14: The Great Vowel Shift 241
- Chapter 15: Relativization 267
- Chapter 16: Literary language 287
- Chapter 17: The language of Shakespeare 309
- Index 333
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Table of Contents V
- Abbreviations VII
- Chapter 1: Introduction 1
- Chapter 2: Early Modern English: Overview 8
- Chapter 3: Phonology 27
- Chapter 4: Morphology 47
- Chapter 5: Syntax 68
- Chapter 6: Lexicon and semantics 89
- Chapter 7: Pragmatics and discourse 108
- Chapter 8: Dialects 128
- Chapter 9: Language contact 150
- Chapter 10: Standardization 167
- Chapter 11: Sociolinguistics 188
- Chapter 12: Pronouns 209
- Chapter 13: Periphrastic DO 224
- Chapter 14: The Great Vowel Shift 241
- Chapter 15: Relativization 267
- Chapter 16: Literary language 287
- Chapter 17: The language of Shakespeare 309
- Index 333
