AI Snips
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Pronouns' Old English Roots
- Modern English pronouns come mostly from Anglo-Saxon roots with many retaining old inflectional forms.
- Despite simplifications like in "you," pronouns still reflect complex grammatical distinctions from Old English.
The Unique Simplicity of "You"
- Unlike other pronouns, "you" remains unchanged in subject and object forms and for singular/plural.
- This simplification shows English can function with a universal pronoun form, highlighting an evolution from Old English complexity.
French Impact on Second-Person Pronouns
- French influence introduced formal plural 'you' as a polite singular form, replacing 'thou' and related singular pronouns.
- This shift blurred social distinctions, making 'you' the universal pronoun and leading to the decline of singular intimate forms.