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Re: English: Thou

From:Nik Taylor <fortytwo@...>
Date:Thursday, June 22, 2000, 2:51
Robert Hailman wrote:
> That's what I thought originally, but then wouldn't "you" become /jau/ > at the same time? Unless originally it was pronounced /jo/
It was /jo:/, I think. Originally, English tended to avoid written vowels (except e) at the end of words, so a lot of final -o's were re-written as -ow (like "know"). Also, "you" is derived from OE "eow", so it would make sense to suppose a /jo/ or /jo:/ pronunciation from that. "Thou" is derived from "Thû" -- "If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore, and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God!" - Ralph Waldo Emerson "Glassín wafilái pigasyúv táv pifyániivav nadusakyáavav sussyáiyatantu wawailáv ku suslawayástantu ku usfunufilpyasváditanva wafpatilikániv wafluwáiv suttakíi wakinakatáli tiDikáufli!" - nLáf mÁldu nÍmasun ICQ: 18656696 AIM Screen-Name: NikTailor