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Ye or Yeh?


  • ElmsWood
    Jun 19 12:32 AM
    Reply
    If you were writing a medieval-fantasy-like story (with lower-city slum talk), would you replace "you" with "ye" or "yeh"? I suppose "ye" is easier because it can turn into "yer" or "ye'll" without looking as stupid...
    Opinions?

  • KodyBoye
    June 19 ↑
    Reply
    It depends, really.

    ey - AeYUH

    ye - YuhE

    yeh - YuEh

    It depends on the sound said person/persons are making. Lower-slum people, I assume, would use harder/brasher dialogue, which would make 'ey' approiate for catching someones attention.

    Replacing 'you' on the other hand...

    Just wondering, but is it your intent to completely take out the word, or...? In one way, I can see why you'd want to, but 'you' is pretty standard, but I can't really see 'ye' or 'yeh' replacing it (just because of the sound. The more curvy sound of 'you' is what catches people's attentions.)

    That probably doesn't help much, but... meh. I tried, lol.

    • ElmsWood
      June 19 ↑
      Reply

      Maybe ey would work... see, it would sound sorta like yeh-uh, so maybe "yuh", but that doesn't seem right.... what do you think? Should I just keep "you" as it is?

      • KodyBoye
        June 19 ↑
        Reply
        Dictionary.Com said the word 'you' has been used since the year 900 (I assume A.D,) but that's up for debate. They uce B.C/A.D to take note of when and where the word(s) were used, but it didn't say either, so I'll assume it's 900 A.D.

        I assume you already know 'though' was used in archaic/Biblical times, but you don't seem to want to use something like that.

        Dicitionary.Com says 'ye' has Indo-Europoean roots.

        My internet seems to be wonking up, so I can't get anything else. I'd suggest searching for 'alternative uses of you/alternative words for you' though. It might turn something up.

  • ElmsWood
    June 19 ↑
    Reply
    Thanks, I'll do that!

  • Valkyrie
    June 19 ↑
    Reply
    If it's fantasy, you can make it whatever you want. You'll want it to relate somehow to a word that your readers will identify as meaning "you", though. Yeh is a word I associate with country folk, or people who aren't well educated and speak in slang. If that's your people, it can work. There's also Yoh, Yeu, or any other semi-random play with a Y and 2 vowels that approximates the sound of "you" or "ya". Ya Ye Yi Yo Yu.

    Or you could go the other way: Ju. Ju gonna finish that sammich? Su and Tu are Romance language words for "you". Maybe you could alter the first sound: Shu. I don' trust shu. Shu gonna flip on me! Shu flipped on shur other partner! Heh. That's kinda cool!

    Ooh, and that does bring up another point. Whatever you choose will have to get converted into "your", "you're" "yourself", etc., if you have your characters ever say those words.

    • ElmsWood
      June 19 ↑
      Reply
      I like your idea of something just Ju or Shu! Maybe I'll use something like that.

  • Forte Kaimei
    June 19 ↑
    Reply
    Just use "you" for the kind of people who would say "you." And use "Ye" or "Yeh" for those who would say that. If the conversation is between people who don't know each other, use "Ye" but if it's between people who know each other- go with "you."

    (a lower person might be more polite to someone they knew- as opposed to someone they didn't)

    It's not much to help- just the style in which they will speak in your story.

  • tonialoise
    June 19 ↑
    Reply
    When I read "ye" I think of old english used with thou and thine. So if you're going for old english that would be the correct spelling, otherwise as the others said, it depends on the situation, or of course, make up your own. I like some of Val's suggestions.

  • Oddities
    June 20 ↑
    Reply

    Honestly,

    People from Barnsley, especially older people, still say thee and thine in conversation instead of you and yours.

    I always thought YE was replaced by THE, as in Ye olde shoppe.

    • tonialoise
      June 20 ↑
      Reply
      It's both according to dictionary.com.

      I didn't think anyone other than Amish or is it Luddites? used those still. Interesting.

  • the back row
    June 20 ↑
    Reply
    I'm a little confused. Do you mean 'ye' as in Come All Ye Faithful or Ye got ter stroke 'em first, Malfoy?

    • Valkyrie
      June 22 ↑
      Reply
      LOL! I love the way Hagrid talks. His use of "ye" and "yeh" for "you" is what I've been assuming we're talking about here. Although, both your examples use "ye" for "you". The "Ye Olde Shoppe" is when "Ye" = "The". Probably some Middle English short cut to save on woodcutting or paint supplies or ink.

      • the back row
        June 23 ↑
        Reply
        Hagrid ftw.

        But I was just curious if Elmeresia wanted it to be old English 'ye' or muddled slang speech 'ye'.
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