ic þancie þē
The English phrase 'thank you' is expressed in Old English as ic þancie þē.
This phrase is used as an expression of gratitude.
Meaning: an expression of gratitude (intj)
Which one should you use?
The form ic þancie þē is used when addressing a single person. If you are thanking more than one person, you must replace the singular dative þē with the plural dative ēow to say ic þancie ēow.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb in this phrase governs the dative case to indicate the person being thanked. In the phrase ic þancie þē, the word þē is the singular dative form of the pronoun þū (thee/you).
Did you know?
- In Old English, þanc could mean 'gratitude' but it could also mean 'thought' or 'mind'. A speaker might use the same root to describe a mental process or a social gesture.
- Old English used the letter þ (thorn) for the 'th' sound. It was gradually replaced by 'th' in the centuries after the Norman Conquest.
- While ic þancie þē is the direct ancestor of 'I thank you', Old English speakers also used expressions of 'becoming' or 'being' indebted to express deeper gratitude.
Examples in context
- Þancie, mīn frēond!Thanks, my friend!
- Ic þancie þē, gōda mann.I thank you, good man.
- Ic þancie þē swīðe.I thank you very much.
Example conversation
Wulfrun gives Æthelstan a piece of bread.
- WulfrunHēr is þīn hlāf, Æthelstan.Here is your bread, Æthelstan.
- ÆthelstanIc þancie þē, Wulfrun.I thank you, Wulfrun.
- WulfrunHit nis nāht.It is nothing.
- ÆthelstanÞū eart gōd.You are good.
