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> Doesn't that also explain why our pronouns are Scandinavian rather than the ones found in Old English or old Norman? I think only the third person plural (th
by stevula 6y ago
> Doesn't that also explain why our pronouns are Scandinavian rather than the ones found in Old English or old Norman?
I think only the third person plural (they/their/them) is of Old Norse origin (ON þeir supplanting OE hie). Interesting, we still use 'em which probably derives from the original English pronoun, not a shortening of "them" (we don't normally chop "th" off the beginning of a word).
Compare for example:
he: OE "he" / ON "hann"
your: OE "eower" / ON "yðar"
it: OE "hit" / ON "þat" (note: still "hit" in some modern dialects)
her: OE "hire" / ON "hennar/henni"
- thaumasiotes 6y ago> Interesting, we still use 'em which probably derives from the original English pronoun, not a shortening of "them" (we don't normally chop "th" off the beginning of a word). This is not a strong point; "them" is not a normal word. We freely reduce all the pronouns.