涵義
Thou是古英語裡you的主格形式,意思是你,汝,爾,作為舊用詞,現亦用於詩歌或宗教類語境,用作主語。
古英語中的thou相當於德語中的du,其變化和現代德語中的du是一樣的。
所有格為thy或thine,賓格為thee,物主代詞為thine。現僅用於祈禱、詩、方言。基督教公誼會教徒(Quakers)常用以代you,但有時也用thee 代替。
使用方法
Thou後接動詞形式
Thou後動詞一般以 -(e)st結尾,如:
•to know:thou knowest, thou knewest
•to drive:thou drivest, thou drovest
•to make:thou makest, thou madest
•to love:thou lovest, thou lovedest
但存在不規則形式,如:
•to be:thou art(orthou beest),thou wast(orthou wert; originallythou were)
•to have:thou hast,thou hadst
•to do:thou dost/dʌst/(orthou doestin non-auxiliaryuse) andthou didst
•shall:thou shalt
•will:thou wilt
例句
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart ...
I do wish thou wert a dog, that I might love thee something ...
And thou bring Alexander and his paramour before the Emperor, I'll be Actaeon ...
Thou hast made me endless, such is thy pleasure.