þin nama
The phrase "your name" in Old English is þin nama.
This phrase is used to refer to the name belonging to the person being spoken to.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the possessive pronoun þin (thy/your) and the noun nama (name).
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun nama is a masculine noun in the nominative singular case. If your name is the direct object of a verb, the phrase changes to þinne naman due to the accusative case.
Did you know?
- The character þ in þin is called 'thorn'. It was eventually replaced by the 'th' digraph because early printing presses from mainland Europe lacked the thorn character.
- The word nama shares a common root with the Latin 'nomen' and the Greek 'onoma', showing a prehistoric connection between these diverse languages.
- In Old English, the pronoun þin was strictly singular, meaning you could not use it to address a group of people as you do with the modern 'your'.
Examples in context
- Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum, si þin nama gehalgod.Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.This sentence shows how to use þin nama when referring to a name being hallowed.Tatoeba #7361255 by jimkillock, translation #7361245 by jimkillock
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Eadric meets Mildryth at a village gathering.
- EadricWes þu hal. Hwæt is þin nama?Be well. What is your name?
- MildrythIc eom Mildryth.I am Mildryth.
- EadricIc eom Eadric, and ic eom glæd þæt ic þe mēte.I am Eadric, and I am glad to meet you.
- MildrythIc eom ēac glæd, Eadric.I am also glad, Eadric.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
