#word nerd

Like many (most?) modern English speakers, I grew up thinking of those old forms of 2nd person address as being extra formal. I think that's because my main exposure to them was in the Bible ("thou shall not...") and why wouldn't god, speaking as the ultimate authority, be using the most formal, official voice? But it turns out that for a huge chunk of the history of the English language, "thee," "thou," and "thy" were actually the informal/casual alternatives to the formal "you", “your”, “yours”. Like tú v. usted in Spanish!

With that in mind, Tolkien was very intentional about when he peppered in a "thee" or a "thou" in his dialogue. It only happens a handful of times. Most of those are when a jerk is trying to make clear that someone else is beneath them by treating them informally. Denethor "thou"s Gandalf when he’s pissed at him. The Witch King calls Éowyn "thee" to cut her down verbally before he cuts her down physically. And the Mouth of Sauron calls Aragorn and Gandalf "thou" as a way to show them that he has the upper hand. (Big oops by all 3 of these guys!)

The other times are the opposite--it's when someone starts to use the informal/casual form as a way to show their feeling of affection for someone else. Galadriel goes with the formal "you" all through the company's days in Lórien, but by the time they leave she has really taken them to heart. So when she sends them a message via Gandalf early in the Two Towers, she uses "thee" and "thou" in her words to Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli because now they're valued friends and allies. And--this is the big one, folks, that was already alluded to in my previous post--Éowyn starts aggressively "thou"ing Aragorn when she is begging him to take her along as he prepares to ride out of Dunharrow. She is very intentionally trying to communicate her feelings to him in her choice of pronoun--an "I wouldn't be calling you "thee" if I didn't love you" kind of thing. And he is just as intentionally using "you" in every single one of his responses in order to gently establish a boundary with her without having to state outright that he doesn't reciprocate her feelings. It's not until much later when her engagement to Faramir is announced that Aragorn finally busts out "I have wished thee joy ever since I first saw thee". Because now it is safe to acknowledge a relationship of closeness and familiarity with her without the risk that it will be misinterpreted. He absolutely wants to have that close, familiar relationship, but he saved it for when he knew she could accept it on his terms without getting hurt.

I mean, that’s like the most common kind of demigod. One immortal parent and one mortal parent.

Me: I want to be an author and write many books.. Also me: *can’t spell Wednesday correctly on the first try*

I can spend hours weaving sentences together, crafting worlds, and building complex characters… and still stare at the word "necessary" like it personally wronged me.

Yes, I know the difference between "your" and "you’re." Yes, I still type “definately” on the first try every single time. *silent sob*

Well i tell myself that writing is about ideas, not perfect spelling (yes it is). That’s what spellcheck is for. (And sometimes even spellcheck just looks at me like, girl, I have no idea what you meant here.)

Malenia, Blade of Miquella:

Ich dremed for so longe.

Me flæsh was dal gold ant me blod, rotenen.

Careyne after careyne lefte in me wake

As Ich awayted his returne.

Hede me wordes:

Ich am Malenia, Blade de Miquella.

Ant ichave næfre knowen defete.

Margit the Fell Omen:

Fowel Ternishen.

Sechen after the Elden Ringe.

Won mote quenchen thy flaume.