þū ēac
In Old English, "you too" is expressed as þū ēac.
This phrase is used as a response to return a greeting or a wish to another person.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of the second-person singular pronoun þū (you) and the adverb ēac (also/too).
Which one should you use?
The form þū ēac is the singular version used when addressing one person, whereas gē ēac is the plural version used when responding to more than one person.
How does it change in a sentence?
The choice of pronoun depends on whether you are addressing one person or several. Use þū for a singular "you" and gē for a plural "you".
Did you know?
- The letter þ eventually looked so much like a 'y' in some handwritten scripts that it contributed to the 'ye' in phrases like 'ye olde shoppe'.
- In Old English, using the singular þū to someone of higher social status could be seen as a grave insult or an act of extreme familiarity.
- The letter 'þ' in þū is called 'thorn', a character that was once common in English but eventually disappeared from the alphabet.
Examples in context
- þū ēacYou too.
Example conversation
Two friends wish each other a good day.
- ÆthelstanGōdne dæg, Wulfrun!Good day, Wulfrun!
- WulfrunGōdne dæg, Æthelstan!Good day, Æthelstan!
- ÆthelstanSīe þū blīðe.May you be happy.
- WulfrunÞū ēac.You too.
