What is the old english word for you

Language changes over time; words and phrases come and go. In many cases, there is a good reason for words leaving our vocabulary.

I am certainly grateful that modern sewer systems mean there is no longer a need for the term Gardyloo – a warning call before chamber pots were poured out of windows onto the streets below.

Other old English words, however, still have perfectly valid meanings in our modern world and really need to be brought back, if only for the pleasure of saying them.

Here are 24 old English words and slang terms that are fun to say, still useful, and should never have left us in the first place:

1. Bedward

Exactly as it sounds, bedward means heading for bed. Who doesn’t like heading bedward after a hard day?

2. Billingsgate

This one is a sneaky word; it sounds so very proper and yet it refers to abusive language and curse words.

3. Brabble

Do you ever brabble? To brabble is to argue loudly about matters of no importance.

4. Crapulous

A most appropriate sounding word for the condition of feeling ill as a result of too much eating/drinking.

5. Elflock

Such a sweet word to describe hair that is tangled, as if it has been matted by elves.

6. Erstwhile

This very British sounding word refers to things that are not current, that belong to a former time, rather like the word itself.

7. Expergefactor

Something that wakes you up is an expergefactor. For most of us it’s our alarm clocks, but it could be anything from a chirping bird to a noisy neighbor.

8. Fudgel

Fudgel is the act of giving the impression you are working, when really you are doing nothing.

9. Groke

This means to stare intently at someone who is eating, in the hope that they will give you some. Watch any dog for a demonstration.

10. Grubble

Grubble might sound like the name of a character from a fantasy novel but it does in fact mean to feel or grope around for something that you can’t see.

11. Hugger-mugger

What a fun way to describe secretive, or covert behavior.

12. Hum durgeon

An imaginary illness. Sounds more like an imaginary word. Have you ever suffered from hum durgeon?

13. Jargogle

This is a perfect word that should never have left our vocabulary, it means to confuse or jumble.

14. Lanspresado

It sounds like the name of a sparkling wine, but no, it means a person who arrives somewhere, having conveniently forgotten their wallet, or having some other complicated story to explain why they don’t have money with them.

15. Mumpsimus

Mumpsimums is an incorrect view on something that a person refuses to let go of.

16. Quagswag

To shake something backwards and forwards is to quagswag, who knew?

17. Rawgabbit

We all know a few rawgabbits. A rawgabbit is a person who likes to gossip confidentially about matters that they know nothing about.

18. Snollygoster

I think we can all agree this is a fantastic sounding word. It means a person who has intelligence but no principles; a dangerous combination. Watch out for the snollygosters, they live amongst us.

19. Snottor

This old english term has the unlikely meaning of “wise.” Really?

20. Trumpery

Things that look good but are basically worthless. I said THINGS, not people.

21. Uhtceare

This means lying awake worrying before dawn. We all do this, we just didn’t know there was a word for it. Say it now, like this: oot-key-are-a.

22. Ultracrepidarian

Similar to the rawgabbit, this person takes every opportunity to share their opinion about things they know nothing about. Social media is the perfect outlet for these people.

23. Zwodder

Being in a drowsy, fuzzy state, after a big night out perhaps?

And finally, I broke the alphabetical listing to save my favorite till last…

24. Cockalorum

A small man with a big opinion of himself.

Why not see how many of these you can work into a conversation today?

Featured photo credit: Unsplash via unsplash.com

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What did the first words sound like? Did cavemen grunt like they do in cartoons and movies? Did they say, “me, man, you, woman”? Weeellllll, humans have been speaking for more than 50,000 years (some estimates say 150,000 years), so we really don’t know what they sounded like. Evidence of written language dates back only 4,000 years.

But if we want a clue as to how the building blocks of language developed, we can take a look at the oldest identified words. And that’s just what researchers at the University of Cambridge did when they studied 23 words in an extremely ancient language believed to have been spoken around the Black Sea area. These words gave rise to an extensive language family, Indo-European, which includes everything from Sanskrit to Latin to Russian to Irish to, yes, English.

Researchers found the meaning of these early words hadn’t changed much over thousands of years, showing how truly durable they are. Just think, you could show up to a Paleolithic barbecue some 15,000 years ago and actually talk to your ancestors!

What’s the first word you’d need to introduce yourself? How about I, the ultimate pronoun? This first-person singular personal pronoun develops from the Old English ic and ih. Humans have always needed a way to refer to themselves (as opposed to their mother, brother, husband, child). Self-identity was and always will be important. It would make sense that some of the most basic, nuts-and-bolt words are very old. 

Read on to learn which other English words link back to the oldest words we know.

I was just wondering if there has ever existed a form of the plural you in English? Even in Old English?

Before we go any further, I know it’s already been said, but what you’re asking for is not Old English. Thou witest (know) not what Old English is. The tongue that I’m typing thee in is Early Modern English, and wittedest not that but that’s ok, ’tis a common mistake: Þæt ne bið hit, þis bið eald ænȝlisc. Hƿȳ belīefaþ ȝē þæt nīƿe ǣrænȝlisc bið eald ænȝlisc? [Thæt ne bith hit, this bith eald ænglisc. Hwȳ belīefath gē thæt nīwe ǣrænglisc bith eald ænglisc?] (That’s not it, this is old English. Why believe ye that Early Modern English is Old English?) Now THAT was some good Old English (pardon the pun). And like Toadie said, most of us wouldn’t be able to understand it. So now you know what Old English looks like! You should research it; it’s really interesting to see where a language comes from.

Just as thee= you; thy=your is there any pronoun in Old English for «you» plural or any alternative for how they say in some parts of the USA «you guys»?

Ok, two things here. First off, for us that speak Modern English, you is singular and then there are two many ways to say you plural, so I’ll use my dialect’s version y’all (to clearly show plurality). How it works: thou (thou knowest/you know); thee (I see thee, I gave thee the ball/I see you, I gave you the ball), thy/thine(thy book, thine apple, that book’s thine/your book, your apple, that book’s yours) [notice that like we have a/an, my/mine, and thy/thine worked the same way in EME.] And now for your question: the plural of thou or what would be plural you was ye. How that works: ye (ye know/y’all know); you (I see you, I gave you the ball/I see y’all, I gave y’all the ball), your/yours (your book, your apple, that book’s yours/your book, your apple, that book’s yours) [in this case pretty much like fully modern English, except that it was never for singular, but a little more on that keep readin’.]

Now, that we got thru all that, there’s your answer: ye was the plural of thou. But no, you never had a plural. Here’s the truth, that’s a very conservative look at the English language, the truth is that even during the time the King Jame Bible was wrote, the language was still in a state of change. If you look at Shakespeare’s works, you can see that in one sentence he may use thou and then you in the exact same sentence. Now, you, if I remember right, somehow do to the influence of French, got associated with vous. Probably because the ou in you and vous (s silent) in both is pronounced more or less the same (My guess is that that’s why it’s spelled with ou in the first place). Now vous in French is formal (or respectful) singular and all around plural. Being that it had this double purpose that is the most likely candidate for you becoming formal singular and then the all around plural, and I believe ye didn’t go down without a fight and continued on as the plural for a while even surviving in some Irish dialects (could be wrong). Well, as we all know, you replaced everything, well I hope that help clear that one up. Oh and because tu in French is informal, it’s probably more likely that thou also got associated with that and so was relegated to informal, with family, and with anger.

…Also if anyone knows is «thee/thy» and «thou/thine» the same, or is one formal and the other informal? Sorry if it’s a little confusing but after studying other languages, I would like to know that English has an equivalent option to express oneself without sounding uneducated using «you guys». Thanks!

Basically, at one time, if it isn’t already clear, after thou/ye had lost there original values, you became formal and thou informal.

I hope that answers all thy questions. And if I have confused thee any, just let me know and I’ll clear up anything that thou need (subjunctive form, not a typo).

13 wonderful Old English words we should still be using today

• Grubbling (v)
• Snollygoster (n)
• Zwodder (n)
• Woofits (n)
• Grufeling (v)
• Clinomania (n)
• Hum durgeon (n)
• Quomodocunquize (v)

Second, What are some weird sayings? The 12 Strangest Sayings in America

• “That dog won’t hunt” – Georgia.
• “Just because a cat has her kittens in the oven don’t make them biscuits” – Vermont.
• “Geez-o-Pete!” – Michigan.
• “Gotta get flat” – California.
• “Get a wiggle on” – South Dakota.
• “Your wig’s a little loose” – Kentucky.
• “Bang a U-ey” – Rhode Island.

however What does it mean to YEET?

Yeet is a slang word that functions broadly with the meaning “to throw,” but is especially used to emphasize forcefulness and a lack of concern for the thing being thrown. (You don’t yeet something if you’re worried that it might break.)

What is YES in Old English?

The English word ‘yes’ is thought to come from the Old English word ‘gēse’, meaning ‘may it be so’, and can be traced back to earlier than the 12th century. In the centuries since, lots of alternatives to the word ‘yes’ have sprung up in the English language, and there are no many meanings for the word ‘yes’ too.

Still, What is hello in Old English?

What are some old phrases?

11 Old-Fashioned Expressions People Still Find Charming

• “That’s My Cup Of Tea” Hannah Burton/Bustle.
• “Kick Up Your Heels”
• “I’ll Be There With Bells On”
• “I’m Head Over Heels”
• “You Look Happy As A Clam”
• “Pardon My French”
• “Carpe Diem”
• “Bring Home The Bacon”

What is the craziest word?

34 of the Zaniest, Craziest Words in the Dictionary (Anything Missing? Add It In the Comments!)

• Bumfuzzle. This is a simple term that refers to being confused, perplexed, or flustered or to cause confusion.
• Cattywampus.
• Gardyloo.
• Taradiddle.
• Snickersnee.
• Widdershins.
• Collywobbles.
• Gubbins.

What are some old idioms?

20 English Idioms with Surprising Origins

• Straight from the horse’s mouth.
• Let the cat out of the bag.
• Butter someone up.
• Pulling someone’s leg.
• Wolf in sheep’s clothing.
• Hands downMeaning: without a lot of effort; by far.
• Riding shotgun.
• Barking up the wrong tree.

What does YUTE mean slang?

Yout originates in Jamaican Creole, where youth is pronounced like yoot and refers to young people. Yute dem, for instance, means “children” or “youth” more generally. By the 1990s–2000s, yout became a slang equivalent for “dude” or “man” among West Indian migrants in London, New York City, and Toronto.

What Zaddy means?

While a daddy is an attractive older man, a zaddy is a man “with swag” who is attractive and also fashionable. It appears that it has less to do with age. Zayn Malik, previously of One Direction, is a popular zaddy. Ryan Reynolds is also likely a zaddy.

What’s the meaning of UwU?

Uwu is an emoticon depicting a cute face. It is used to express various warm, happy, or affectionate feelings. A closely related emoticon is owo, which can more specifically show surprise and excitement. There are many variations of uwu and owo, including and OwO, UwU, and OwU, among others.

What is a slang word for no?

Meaning: (Interjection): Scottish slang for no. Pronounced like “nay.” Example: “Nae, I’m not going on a date with him. He’s loony.”

What does N mean in Japanese?

ん (romaji n) The hiragana syllable ん (n). Its equivalent in katakana is ン (n). It is the forty-eighth syllable in the gojūon order.

How do you say yes in medieval times?

Yes is a very old word. It entered English before 900 and comes from the Old English word gese loosely meaning “be it.” Before the 1600s, yes was often used only as an affirmative to a negative question, and yea was used as the all-purpose way to say “yes.”

How do the British say goodbye?

How do you greet in British slang?

Alright?’ means ‘Hello, how are you?’ . ‘Hiya’ or ‘Hey up’ – these informal greetings both mean ‘hello’ and are especially popular in the north of England.

How do you say hello in Shakespearean?

HELLO = = GOODBYE

Good Morrow, Mistress Patterson. Good morning, Mrs. Patterson. God ye good den, Mistress Wolfe.

What are 5 slang words used from the 50s?

List of 1950s Slang:

• Antsville: A congested place.
• Knuckle sandwich: A punch in the face.
• Shiner: A black eye.
• Tank: A big car.
• Ain’t that a bite: That’s too bad.
• Ball: A really good time.
• Flip your lid: Go Crazy.
• Made in the shade: Something’s guaranteed to be a success.

What is a night Pride British slang?

Night prides (in French, prides de nuit) are protest demonstrations of LGBTI people alternative to the Pride marches, which are considered depoliticized.

What is an old fashioned slang?

The definition of old fashioned is someone or something that is behind the times, not up to date and often no longer considered relevant.

What is the rarest word?

11 Rarest Words in the English Language

• Obelus.
• Nudiustertian.
• Nikehedonia.
• Metanoia.
• Meldrop.
• Lalochezia.
• Jentacular.
• Gargalesthesia.

Is YEET in the dictionary?

to hurl or move forcefully:Somebody just yeeted a water bottle into the crowd. He’s an early riser, so his mom never had to yeet him out of bed! to move forcefully or quickly: My cat yeeted out of there in a big hurry.

What is the most unused word in English?

1. Serendipity. This word appears in numerous lists of untranslatable words and is a mystery mostly for non native speakers of English. It refers to a happy and unexpected discovery or event.

What does cat got your tongue?

Definition of cat got your tongue

—used to ask someone why he or she is not saying anything “You’ve been unusually quiet tonight,” she said. “What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”

Why do we say cat got your tongue?

On English sailing ships, anyone entrusted with a secret by a higher officer would be threatened with “the cat” for telling; thus, the saying ‘has the cat got your tongue?’ became slang for ‘are you afraid to tell?’

What are 30 idioms?

The most common English idioms

Idiom	Meaning
Beat around the bush	Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable
Better late than never	Better to arrive late than not to come at all
Bite the bullet	To get something over with because it is inevitable
Break a leg	Good luck

What are Old English words?

10 Old English Words You Need to Be Using

• Uhtceare. “There is a single Old English word meaning ‘lying awake before dawn and worrying. …
• Expergefactor. «An expergefactor is anything that wakes you up. …
• and 4. Pantofle and Staddle. …
• Grubbling. …
• Mugwump. …
• Rawgabbit. …
• Vinomadefied. …
• Lanspresado.

How do you say yes in a cute way?

Creative Ways to Say “Yes”

1. Okey-dokey!
2. I’m at your behest.
3. Aye aye, captain!
4. I was born for this!
5. That would be a Y-E-S!
6. You just stole the words out of my mouth.
7. Right on, brother/sister.
8. Definitely not NO.

How do you say before in Old English?

From Middle English before, bifore (adverb and preposition), from Old English beforan, from be- + foran (“before”), from fore, from Proto-Germanic *furai, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“front”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian befoar (“before”), German Low German bevör (“before”), German bevor (“before”).

How do you say my love in Old English?

English	Old English
love	liss; lufe; lufian; lufu; mine; myne
beloved	deore; diere; leof
lover	freond

How do you say I love you in Anglo Saxon?

I do love you. Ič lufie þē. I do love you.

How do you say good luck in Old English?

Ænglisc

How do you say good in Old English?

English	Old English
good	arfæst; god
be good	deah; dugunde
make good	gebetan
goodness	god; godnes

What is you in Old English?

The singular of «you» is «thou». «Thy» is «your» as the singular possessive pronoun. «Thee» is the singular direct object for «you«. «Thine» is the equivalent of «yours» (or «your» if the following word began with a vowel)./span>

Is Ye a real word?

Ye (/jiː/) is a second-person, plural, personal pronoun (nominative), spelled in Old English as «ge». In Middle English and early Early Modern English, it was used as a both informal second-person plural and formal honorific, to address a group of equals or superiors or a single superior.

How do you say yes in Old English?

Yes is a very old word. It entered English before 900 and comes from the Old English word gese loosely meaning «be it.» Before the 1600s, yes was often used only as an affirmative to a negative question, and yea was used as the all-purpose way to say «yes.»

What does Yeah mean from a girl?

okay, whatever you say

Is it a yay or nay?

Writing ‘yay or nay‘ instead of ‘yea or nay‘ is one of the most common misspellings in the English language. The correct way to use the idiom is ‘yea or nay‘ or ‘aye or no. ‘ By itself, we only use the word yay as an exclamatory or for verbal depictions of measurement./span>

What is Yay slang for?

—used to express joy, approval, or excitement.

What is aye and nay?

The presiding officer or chair of the assembly will put the question to the assembly, asking first for all those in favor of the motion to indicate so orally («aye» or «yea»), and then ask second all those opposed to the motion to indicate so verbally («no» or «nay»).

Is nay a word in English?

Nay is an old-fashioned, literary, or dialect word for ‘no. ‘

What does nay mean in English?

denial, refusal

What does nay nay mean?

really cool

What language is nay?

Middle English (in nay (sense 2 of the adverb)): from Old Norse nei, from ne ‘not’ + ei ‘ever’ (compare with aye).

What is the opposite of nay?

opposite of nay
Opposite of nay
	YEA
Opposite of nay
	AYE

How do you spell neigh as in no?

The origin of the word nay is the Old Norse word nei, which means not ever. Neigh is a rendering of a certain sound that a horse makes. Neigh is an onomatopoeia. An onomatopoeia is a word that is formed by imitating the sound of the thing or action being described.