ye
English
Etymology 1
From Middle English ye, ȝe, from Old English ġē (“ye”), the nominative case of the second-person plural personal pronoun, from Proto-West Germanic *jiʀ, from Proto-Germanic *jīz, a North-West variant of Proto-Germanic *jūz (“ye”), from Proto-Indo-European *yūs, *yū́ (“ye”), plural of *túh₂. Cognate with Scots ye (“ye”), Saterland Frisian jie, Dutch gij, ge, jij, je (“ye”), Low German ji, jie (“ye”), German ihr (“ye”), Danish and Swedish I (“ye”), Icelandic ér (“ye”). See also you.
Pronoun
ye (personal pronoun)
- (archaic outside Northern England, Cornwall, Ireland, Newfoundland) You (the people being addressed).
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, stanza 17, page 512:
- My liefe (ſayd ſhe) ye know, that long ygo, / Whileſt ye in durance dwelt, ye to me gaue / A little mayde, the which ye chylded tho ; / The ſame againe if now ye liſt to haue, / The ſame is yonder Lady, whom high God did ſaue.
- 1671, Elisha Coles, chapter 6, in ΧΡΙΣΤΟΛΟΓΙΑ: Or, a Metrical Paraphraſe on the Hiſtory of Our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt : Dedicated to His Univerſal Church:
- Queſtion me then no more; whate'er ye want, / Ask in my Name, and God ſhall ſurely grant. / You've asked nothing yet for Jesus sake : / Ask and receive, and of my joyes partake.
- 1995, Elizabeth II, “Legal Notice 247 of 1996”, in Hong Kong Government Gazette, page B1096:
- Know Ye that We have declared and by these Presents do declare our Will and Pleasure as follows— […]
- (archaic) You (the singular person being addressed).
- 1851, Herman Melville, Moby Dick, chapter 23:
- Know ye now, Bulkington? Glimpses do ye seem to see of that mortally intolerable truth; that all deep, earnest thinking is but the intrepid effort of the soul to keep the open independence of her sea; [...]
Usage notes
Ye was originally used only for the nominative case (as the subject), and only for the second-person plural. Later, ye was used as a subject or an object, either singular or plural, which is the way that you is used today. In modern Hiberno-English usage, ye is used as a subject or an object in the plural, to contrast with you (singular).
Synonyms
- (second-person plural): See Thesaurus:y'all
Derived terms
Etymology 2
From Middle English þe. Early press typographies lacked the letter þ (“thorn”), for which the letter y was substituted due to their resemblance in blackletter hand (etymological y was for a while distinguished by a dot, ẏ). Short form yͤ continued long after the digraph th had replaced þ elsewhere.
Alternative forms
- ye, yͤ
Pronunciation
- Traditionally pronounced the same as the, but now often pronounced with the ordinary sound of ⟨y⟩: IPA(key): /jiː/
Article
ye
- (archaic, definite) The.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Timothy 1:17, column 2:
- Now vnto yͤ king eternal, immortall, inuiſible, the onely wiſe God, be honour and glory for euer ⁊ euer. Amen.
- 1647, The old deluder, Satan, Act. (cited in American Public School Law, K. Alexander, M. Alexander, 1995)
- It being one cheife proiect of ye ould deluder, Satan, to keepe men from the knowledge of Scriptures, as in formr times by keeping ym in an unknowne tongue, so in these lattr times by perswading from ye use of tongues, yt so at least ye true sence & meaning of ye originall might be clouded by false glosses of saint seeming deceivers, yt learning may not be buried in ye church and commonwealth, the Lord assisting or endeavors,—
- Ye Olde Medicine Shoppe (pseudoarchaic)
Derived terms
Azerbaijani
Bambara
Postposition
ye
Verb
ye (auxiliary)
- (verbal auxiliary for transitive verbs) marks an action which is accomplished
- Ne ye moto san
- I bought a motorbike
Catawba
Usage notes
- Catawba nouns do not inflect for number.
- Many of Catawba's names for tribes incorporate this word, e.g. yę iswa (“the Catawba”, literally “people of the river”), yę manterą (“the Cherokee”, literally “people born in/on the land”).
- The vowel of this word is generally nasalized; this is reflected in different ways or not at all in different transcriptions: ye, yę, yen. Sometimes, an initial i, also nasalized, is found: inyen / įyę.
References
- 1858, Oscar M. Lieber, Vocabulary of the Catawba Language
- 1900, Albert S. Gatschet, Grammatic Sketch of the Catawba Language (published in the American Anthropologist)
- 1942, Frank G. Speck and C. E. Shaeffer, Catawba Kinship and Social Organization
- 1945, Frank T. Siebert, Jr., Linguistic Classification of Catawba (published in the International Journal of American Linguistics)
Fula
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.).
References
- Oumar Bah, Dictionnaire Pular-Français, Avec un index français-pular, Webonary.org, SIL International, 2014.
Haitian Creole
Etymology
From French est (“is”), third person singular of the indicative present of être (“to be”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /je/
Indonesian
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈjɛ/, [ˈjɛ]
Synonyms
- way (Standard Malay)
See also
Further reading
- “ye” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.
Japanese
Mandarin
Romanization
ye
Usage notes
- Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.
Middle English
Etymology 1
From Old English ġē, from Proto-West Germanic *jiʀ, from Proto-Germanic *jūz, from Proto-Indo-European *yū́ (with the nominative ending added). Compare the second-person dual pronoun ȝit.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /jeː/
- Rhymes: -eː
Pronoun
ye (accusative yow, genitive youres, youren, possessive determiner your)
- Second-person plural pronoun: ye, you (plural).
- c. 1225, “Introduction”, in Ancrene Ƿiſſe (MS. Corpus Christi 402), Herefordshire, published c. 1235, folio 1, verso; republished at Cambridge: Parker Library on the Web, 2018 January:
- Ant ȝe mine leoue ſuſtren habbeð moni dei icrauet on me efter riƿle
- And you, my beloved sisters, have asked me for a rule many times.
- c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.), published c. 1410, Matheu 16:15, page 9r, column 1; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:
- iheſus ſeide to hem / but whom ſeyn ȝe me to be .·?
- Jesus said to them, "But who do you say I am?"
- (formal) second-person singular pronoun: you (singular).
- a. 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “Book II”, in Troilus and Criseyde, lines 22–28:
- Ȝe knowe ek that in fourme of ſpeche is chaunge / With-inne a thousand ȝeer, and wordes tho /That hadden pris now wonder nyce and ſtraunge /Us thenketh hem, and ȝet thei ſpake hem so / And ſpedde as wel in loue as men now do / Ek forto wynnen loue in ſondry ages / In ſondry londes, ſondry ben vſages […]
- You also know that the form of language is in flux; / within a thousand years, words / that had currency; really weird and bizarre / they seem to us now, but they still spoke them / and accomplished as much in love as men do now. / As for winning love across ages and / across nations, there are lots of usages […]
Usage notes
The formal singular usage, following the T-V distinction, was used to address one's superiors, elders or others to whom one might wish to show politeness or respect.
Verb
ye (present participle yeyn)
See also
nominative | accusative | dative | genitive | possessive | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
singular | 1st-person | I, ich, ik | me | min mi1 | min | ||
2nd-person | þou | þe | þin þi1 | þin | |||
3rd-person | m | he | him hine2 | him | his | his hisen | |
f | sche, heo | hire heo |
hire | hire hires, hiren | |||
n | hit | hit him2 | his, hit | — | |||
dual3 | 1st-person | wit | unk | unker | |||
2nd-person | ȝit | inc | inker | ||||
plural | 1st-person | we | us, ous | oure | oure oures, ouren | ||
2nd-person4 | ye | yow | your | your youres, youren | |||
3rd-person | inh. | he | hem he2 | hem | here | here heres, heren | |
bor. | þei | þem, þeim | þeir | þeir þeires, þeiren |
1Used preconsonantally or before h.
2Early or dialectal.
3Dual pronouns are only sporadically found in Early Middle English; after that, they are replaced by plural forms. There are no third-person dual forms in Middle English.
4Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.
References
- “yẹ̄, pron.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 16 May 2018.
Etymology 2
From Old English gēa, from Proto-West Germanic *jā, from Proto-Germanic *ja.
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /jɛː/
References
- “yē, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Noun
yë (plural yën)
- Alternative form of eie
- 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Prologues”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, lines 9–10:
- And smale foweles maken melodye, / That slepen al the nyght with open yë.
- (please add an English translation of this quotation)
Etymology 4
Pali
Alternative forms
Scots
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /jiː/, /jɪ/
Pronoun
ye (second person, singular or plural; possessive determiner yer, possessive pronoun yers, singular reflexive yersel, plural reflexive yersel)
See also
personal pronoun | possessive pronoun | possessive determiner | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
subjective | objective | reflexive | |||||
first person | singular | A I, ik | me mei | masel mysel | mines | ma my | |
plural | we | us, we's hus | oorsels, oorsel wirsels, wirsel | oors wirs | oor wir | ||
second person | singular | standard (formal) | ye you, yow | ye you, yow | yersel yoursel | yers yours | yer your |
Insular (informal) | thoo | thee | thysel, theesel | thines | thy, thee, thees | ||
plural | ye, yese you, youse | ye, yese you, youse theer | yesels yoursels | yers yours | yer your | ||
third person | singular | masculine | he, e | him, im | himsel, hissel | his, is | his, is |
feminine | she | her, er | hersel | hers | her, er | ||
neuter | it hit | it hit | itsel hitsel | its hits | its hits | ||
genderless, nonspecific (formal) |
ane | ane | – | – | ane's | ||
plural | thay | thaim | thaimsel, thaimsels | thairs | thair |
Spanish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): (everywhere but Argentina and Uruguay) /ˈʝe/ [ˈɟ͡ʝe]
- IPA(key): (Buenos Aires and environs) /ˈʃe/ [ˈʃe]
- IPA(key): (elsewhere in Argentina and Uruguay) /ˈʒe/ [ˈʒe]
- Rhymes: -e
- Syllabification: ye
Usage notes
- "Ye" was recommended by the Real Academia Española as a simpler name for the more common i griega (literally “Greek i”). Adoption of it has been slow.
Further reading
- “ye”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014
Tagalog
Pronunciation
- (Standard Tagalog) IPA(key): /ˈje/ [ˈjɛ]
- Rhymes: -e
- Syllabification: ye
Noun
ye (Baybayin spelling ᜌᜒ) (historical)
- the name of the Latin-script letter Y/y, in the Abecedario
Turkish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /je/
See also
Uzbek
Volapük
Ye'kwana
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ɟe]
Yola
Etymology 1
From Middle English ye, from Old English ġē, from Proto-West Germanic *jiʀ.
Pronoun
ye
- you[1]
- 1867, “THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 1, page 94:
- Ye be welcome, hearthilee welcome, mee joees,
- You are welcome, heartily welcome, my joys,
- 1867, “THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 1, page 94:
- Ye be welcome, hearthillee, ivery oan.
- You are heartily welcome, every one.
- 1867, “THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 3, page 94:
- Maade a nicest coolecannan that e'er ye did zee.
- Made the nicest coolecannan that ever you did see.
- 1867, “VERSES IN ANSWER TO THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 3, page 100:
- At ye mye ne'er be wooveless ta vill a lear jock an cooan.
- That you may never be unprovided to fill an empty jack and can.
Article
ye
- Alternative form of a (“the”)[1]
- 1867, “CASTEALE CUDDE'S LAMENTATION”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 1, page 102:
- Ye nyporès aul, come hark to mee,
- Ye neighbours all, come hark to me,
- 1867, “Prologue”, in CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 114:
- Ye soumissive Spakeen o'ouz Dwelleres o' Baronie Forthe, Weisforthe.
- The humble Address of the Inhabitants of the Barony of Forth, Wexford.
- 1867, CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 114, lines 6-7:
- wi vengem o' core t'gie oure zense o' ye gradès whilke be ee-dighte wi yer name;
- to pour forth from the strength of our hearts, our sense of the qualities which characterise your name,
- 1927, “THE FORTH MAN'S GRACE AFTER A SCANTY DINNER”, in THE ANCIENT DIALECT OF THE BARONIES OF FORTH AND BARGY, COUNTY WEXFORD, page 137, line 2:
- When ye Lord plaase, He ma mend this,
- [When the Lord please, He may mend this,]
- 1927, “THE FORTH MAN'S GRACE AFTER A SCANTY DINNER”, in THE ANCIENT DIALECT OF THE BARONIES OF FORTH AND BARGY, COUNTY WEXFORD, page 137, line 4:
- God save ye Kinge, hev awaa ye platter."
- [God save the King, heave away the platter.]
Determiner
ye
- Pronunciation spelling of yer (“your”).[2]
- 1927, “ZONG OF TWI MAARKEET MOANS”, in THE ANCIENT DIALECT OF THE BARONIES OF FORTH AND BARGY, COUNTY WEXFORD, page 129, line 14:
- Thou liest valse co secun that thou an ye thick,
- You lie false, said the second, that you and your kid,
References
- Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, pages 80, 94 & 114
- Kathleen A. Browne (1927) The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland Sixth Series, Vol.17 No.2, Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, page 129
Yoruba
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /jè/
Noun
yè
Usage notes
- (term of endearment): usually used with mi (“third-person singular possessive pronoun”).
- (both senses): follow greetings and pleasantries.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /jé/
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /jé/
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /jè/
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /jé/