Language/Old-english-ca-450-1100/Grammar/Pronouns
Hi Old English (ca. 450-1100) learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn all about pronouns in Old English (ca. 450-1100). Pronouns are words that are used in place of nouns or proper nouns. They make our conversation and writing concise and clear. We will go through the personal, demonstrative, relative, and interrogative pronouns. We will also give you some cultural information and interesting facts about the language. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section below. Don't forget to check out the Polyglot Club website to find native speakers and ask them any questions. 😃
Let's get started!
Consider broadening your understanding by checking out these related lessons: Say Hello and Greetings in Old English (ca. 450-1100), Conditional Mood & Adjectives.
Personal Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Personal pronouns refer to specific persons or things.
| Old English (ca. 450-1100) | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| I | /i/ | I, me, my |
| Þū | /θu/ | thou, thee, thy |
| Hē | /heː/ | he, him |
| Hēo | /heːo/ | she, her |
| hit | /hɪt/ | it |
| wē | /weː/ | we, us |
| ġē | /jeː/ | ye, you |
| hīe | /hiːe/ | they, them |
Did you know that the pronoun "you" used to be "þū"? "You" was only used for formal situations. Also, "he" was used for both masculine and feminine and "hit" meant both "it" and "he" or "she".
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Hwæt eart þū? (/hwaet æært θuː?/) (What are you?)
- Person 2: Iċ eom [name]. (/itʃ eom/) (I am [name].)
Demonstrative Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Demonstrative pronouns point to specific persons or things.
| Old English (ca. 450-1100) | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| þes | /θes/ | this (masculine) |
| þēos | /θeːos/ | this (feminine) |
| þis | /θɪs/ | this (neuter) |
| sē | /seː/ | that (masculine) |
| sēo | /seo/ | that (feminine) |
| þæt | /θæt/ | that (neuter) |
In Old English, "this" and "that" were used not only for objects but also for people.
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Hwæt is þis? (/hwaet is θis?/) (What is this?)
- Person 2: Þis is bōc. (/θɪs is boːk/) (This is a book.)
Relative Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Relative pronouns connect a clause or phrase to some other noun or pronoun.
| Old English (ca. 450-1100) | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ðe | /ðe/ | who, that |
| ðæt | /ðæt/ | (that) which |
| ǣlc se ðe | /aːlθ se ðe/ | everyone who |
| hwæt | /hwaet/ | (that) which |
Did you know that J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of "The Lord of the Rings," was a renowned expert in Old English? He translated many Old English texts including the poem "Beowulf" and incorporated Old English words and grammar in his invented languages.
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Se mǫn þe þæt hālig bēc wrāt. (/se mon ðe θæt haːlɪg beːk wræːt/) (The man who wrote the holy book.)
- Person 2: Þæt wæs Cūðbert. (/θæt wæs kuːðbert/) (That was Cuthbert.)
Interrogative Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Interrogative pronouns are used to form questions.
| Old English (ca. 450-1100) | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| hwæt | /hwaet/ | what |
| hwā | /hwaː/ | who |
| hwǣr | /hwaːr/ | where |
| hū | /huː/ | how |
In Old English, the word "hwæt" was used in the first sentence of the epic poem "Beowulf". It can be translated as "lo" or "listen".
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Hwæt dēst þū? (/hwaet deːst θuː?/) (What are you doing?)
- Person 2: Iċ rǫn. (/itʃ roːn/) (I'm running.)
Summary[edit | edit source]
That's it for pronouns in Old English (ca. 450-1100)! We hope you found this lesson informative and helpful. Remember to practice and immerse yourself in the language to improve. Check out the Polyglot Club website to find native speakers and ask them any questions. If you want to learn more about grammar in Old English (ca. 450-1100), check out our other lessons. Happy learning! 😄
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
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Sources[edit | edit source]
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