A roleplayer's quick guide to early modern English

Discussion in 'Guides' started by Ron Superior, Sep 18, 2021.

  1. Ron Superior

    Ron Superior Member

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    So you want to sound like a Britannian? Here are a few rules to give your in-game speech a bit of "authentick flavour."

    1. Mind the difference between subject and object pronouns

    Good: Thou wilt give me what is mine!
    Good: We thought we might find thee here!

    Code:
    Subject pronouns
    
    ----------------
    I         | we
    thou      | you
    he/she/it | they
    
    Object pronouns
    ---------------
    me           | us
    thee         | you
    him/her/it   | them

    Bad: Thee smellest of dead fish (this is just as wrong as "us want to kill you").

    2. Choose the right verb form depending on the subject

    Good: I play the lute.
    Good: Sir, thou hast a mistaken idea.
    Good: Lord Maverick thinketh we have been betrayed.

    Code:
    Typical present-tense verb forms
    
    --------------------------------
    I speak       | we speak
    thou speakest | you speak
    he speaketh   | they speak


    Bad: I hast broken wind.
    Bad: Thou smelleth a rat.

    You should also be aware of verbs with irregular forms. Thou art, but he is. Thou wilt, but he will. Thou shalt, but he shall.

    3. "Thou" is used for singular address, while "you" can be singular or plural

    Use "thou" (and the related "thee" and "thy") when speaking to a single person with whom you are familiar, or when addressing God.

    If you are addressing a group, someone of higher rank than you, or anyone whom you would address formally, then "you" is the appropriate choice.

    Note: also, use words related to "thou" and "you" consistently within the same sentence. "Hast thou found your satchel" would be better as "hast thou found thy satchel"?

    4. Take advantage of vowel liaison when choosing possessive pronouns

    In general, you use "thy" when talking about stuff belonging to "thee" in the same way you use "my" when talking about stuff belonging to "me." However, if the next word after the possessive pronoun starts with a vowel, it's valid to use "thine" instead.

    Thy sword is long. Thine apron is clean.


    You can also do this with "my" and "mine."

    My word! That rogue yonder is stealing from mine ostard!
    Reemer, Eido, Venger and 2 others like this.

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