Re: USAGE: 2nd pers. pron. for God

On Thu, 12 Sep 2002 00:54, Newton, Philip wrote:
<snip>
> > i suspect even many devout christians wouldn't be able
> > to give the old second person singular form of the
> > verb ( even with a reasonable knowledge of the
> > language i can't remember whether the subjunctive
> > keeps the -st ending )
>
> If you read the KJV Bible a lot, I suppose you learn the rules just be
> repeated exposure. But you're right; I'm sure there are many people who
> would like to use "thou" but are not sure of which forms to use.
>
> I'm not sure about the subjunctive (especially since it isn't used that
> much in standard English anyway), but I think it keeps the endings. For
> example, I'd say "Wilt thou bless us with ...".
"Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
"Consider all the works thy hands have made,
"I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
"Thy power throughout the universe displayed."

"Then sings my soul, my Saviour, God, to thee,
"How great thou art, how great thou art."

Easy lesson in archaic religious English, delivered courtesy of the hymnbook.
 It's even in traditional English four-beat stress metre:

oh LORD my GOD when I in awesome WONder

then SINGS my SOUL my SAViour GOD to thee

Oh, and by the way, that's the relicts of a highly religious youth, not the
beliefs of an agnostic adult.  I have no idea what exists beyond this
universe, and seriously it's not important to me.

Wesley Parish

>
> > what do some of the non-atheists on the list have to
> > say on this ?
>
> As far as I know, English-speaking Mormons are encouraged to address God as
> "thou" in their prayers. I also remember an article in the church magazine,
> about twenty years ago, which had a short tutorial on those forms for those
> who were interested :). It included things such as the difference between
> "dost" and "doest", as well.
>
> I suspect that the old third person singular forms in -th are less used
> than "thou" forms.
>
> Cheers,
> Philip
--
Mau e ki, "He aha te mea nui?"
You ask, "What is the most important thing?"
Maku e ki, "He tangata, he tangata, he tangata."
I reply, "It is people, it is people, it is people."