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From: betsy@dartvax.UUCP (Betsy Hanes Perry)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: Second person singular
Message-ID: <3568@dartvax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Sep-85 14:14:08 EDT
Article-I.D.: dartvax.3568
Posted: Tue Sep 10 14:14:08 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Sep-85 20:08:44 EDT
References: <2058@dutoit.UUCP>
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Lines: 32

> I know several Philadelphia-area Quaker families who use
> "plain speech" when addressing family members.  The nominative
> of the second person singular, among them, is "thee," as in,
> "Ben, if thee doesn't stop that, I'm going to hit thee."
> 
> As you might guess from the example, I knew them best when
> we were kids together 30 years ago.   I wonder if they are
> teaching it to their own children?
> 
> 	Dennis Ritchie

The usage is still current among Indiana Friends;  my best childhood
friend's family plain-spoke one another.  I have never felt quite so 
included as when her four-year-old brother thee'ed me.  
 
Incidentally, I have heard "thee's", usually in contexts like "Thee's
going to be quite surprised one of these days!"
 
Friends themselves are ambivalent about the "plain speech";  it was
adopted to be inclusive (Friends used "thou" to everybody, even the
King!), but has gradually shifted into exclusiveness (we talk funny,
but only among ourselves).  A story Friends often tell on themselves
is of the little girl who was giving a scolding to her doll:
"Thee's been so bad!  I don't know what to say to thee --  "
"thee --  thee YOU, thee!"
 
-- 
Elizabeth Hanes Perry                        
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