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In Modern English, the word "you" is the second-person pronoun. It is grammatically plural, and was historically used only for the dative case, but in most^{[citation needed]} modern dialects is used for all cases and numbers.

History

You comes from the Proto-Germanic demonstrative base *juz-, *iwwiz from Proto-Indo-European *yu- (second-person plural pronoun).^[1] Old English had singular, dual, and plural second-person pronouns. The dual form was lost by the twelfth century,^[2]^: 117 and the singular form was lost by the early 1600s.^[3] The development is shown in the following table.^[2]^{: 117, 120, 121}

Second-person pronoun in Old English, Middle English, & Modern English
	Singular			Dual			Plural
	OE	ME	Mod	OE	ME	Mod	OE	ME	Mod
Nominative	þu	þu		ġit			ġe	ȝē	you
Accusative	þe	þē		inc			ēow	ȝou
Dative	þe	þē		inc			ēow	ȝou
Genitive	þīn	þī(n)		incer			ēower	ȝour(es)	your(s)

Early Modern English distinguished between the plural ye and the singular thou. As in many other European languages, English at the time had a T–V distinction, which made the plural forms more respectful and deferential; they were used to address strangers and social superiors.^[3] This distinction ultimately led to familiar thou becoming obsolete in modern English, although it persists in some English dialects.

Yourself had developed by the early 14th century, with the plural yourselves attested from 1520.^[4]

Morphology

In Standard Modern English, you has five shapes representing six distinct word forms:^[5]

you: the nominative (subjective) and accusative (objective or oblique case^[6]^: 146) forms
your: the dependent genitive (possessive) form
yours: independent genitive (possessive) form
yourselves: the plural reflexive form
yourself: the singular reflexive form

Plural forms from other varieties

Although there is some dialectal retention of the original plural ye and the original singular thou, most English-speaking groups have lost the original forms. Because of the loss of the original singular-plural distinction, many English dialects belonging to this group have innovated new plural forms of the second person pronoun. Examples of such pronouns sometimes seen and heard include:

y'all, or you all – southern United States,^[7] African-American Vernacular English, the Abaco Islands,^[8] St. Helena^[8] and Tristan da Cunha.^[8] Y'all however, is also occasionally used for the second-person singular in the North American varieties.
you guys [ju gajz~juɣajz] – United States,^[9] particularly in the Midwest, Northeast, South Florida and West Coast; Canada, Australia. Gendered usage varies; for mixed groups, "you guys" is nearly always used. For groups consisting of only women, forms like "you girls" or "you gals" might appear instead, though "you guys" is sometimes used for a group of only women as well.
you lot – United Kingdom,^[10] Palmerston Island,^[11] Australia
you mob – Australia^[12]
you-all, all-you – Caribbean English,^[13] Saba^[11]
a(ll)-yo-dis – Guyana^[13]
allyuh – Trinidad and Tobago^[14]
among(st)-you – Carriacou, Grenada, Guyana,^[13] Utila^[11]
wunna – Barbados^[13]
yinna – Bahamas^[13]
unu/oona – Jamaica, Belize, Cayman Islands, Barbados,^[13] San Salvador Island^[8]
yous(e) – Ireland,^[15] Tyneside,^[16] Merseyside,^[17] Central Scotland,^[18] Australia,^[19] Falkland Islands,^[8] New Zealand,^[11] Philadelphia,^[20] parts of the Midwestern US,^[21] Cape Breton and rural Canada^{[citation needed]}
yous(e) guys – in the United States, particularly in New York City region, Philadelphia, Northeastern Pennsylvania, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan;^{[citation needed]}
you-uns, or yinz – Western Pennsylvania, the Ozarks, the Appalachians^[22]
ye, yee, yees, yiz – Ireland,^[23] Tyneside,^[24] Newfoundland and Labrador^[11]

Semantics

You prototypically refers to the addressee along with zero or more other persons, excluding the speaker. You is also used to refer to personified things (e.g., why won't you start? addressed to a car).^[25] You is always definite even when it is not specific.

Semantically, you is both singular and plural, though syntactically it is almost always plural: i.e. always takes a verb form that originally marked the word as plural, (i.e. you are, in common with we are and they are).

First person usage

The practice of referring to oneself as you, occasionally known as tuism,^[26]^[27] is common when talking to oneself.^[28]^[29] It is less common in conversations with others, as it could easily result in confusion. Since English lacks a distinct first person singular imperative mood, you and let's function as substitutes.

Third person usage

You is used to refer to an indeterminate person, as a more common alternative to the very formal indefinite pronoun one.^[30] Though this may be semantically third person, for agreement purposes, you is always second person.

Example: "One should drink water frequently" or "You should drink water frequently".

Syntax

Agreement

You almost always triggers plural verb agreement, even when it is semantically singular.

Functions

You can appear as a subject, object, determiner or predicative complement.^[5] The reflexive form also appears as an adjunct. You occasionally appears as a modifier in a noun phrase.

Subject: You're there; your being there; you paid for yourself to be there.
Object: I saw you; I introduced her to you; You saw yourself.
Predicative complement: The only person there was you.
Dependent determiner: I met your friend.
Independent determiner: This is yours.
Adjunct: You did it yourself.
Modifier: This sounds like a you problem.

Dependents

Pronouns rarely take dependents, but it is possible for you to have many of the same kind of dependents as other noun phrases.

Relative clause modifier: you who believe
Determiner: the real you; *the you
Adjective phrase modifier: the real you; *real you
Adverb phrase external modifier: Not even you

Pronunciation

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the following pronunciations are used:


Form	Plain	Unstressed	Recording
you	(UK) /juː/ (US) /jə/	/ju/ /jə/	female speaker with US accent
your	(UK) /jɔː/ (US) /jɔr/	/jʊə/ /jʊ(ə)r/	female speaker with US accent
yours	(UK) /jɔːz/ (US) /jɔrz/	/jʊəz/ /jʊ(ə)rz/	female speaker with US accent
yourselves	(UK) /jɔːˈsɛlvz/, /jʊəˈsɛlvz/ (US) /jɔrˈsɛlvz/, /jʊrˈsɛlvz/	/jəˈsɛlvz/ /jərˈsɛlvz/
yourself	(UK) /jɔːˈsɛlf/, /jʊəˈsɛlf/ (US) /jɔrˈsɛlf/, /jʊrˈsɛlf/	/jəˈsɛlf/ /jərˈsɛlf/	female speaker with US accent

References

^ "Origin and meaning of it". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-03-20.
^ ^a ^b Blake, Norman, ed. (1992). The Cambridge history of the English Language: Volume II 1066–1476. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
^ ^a ^b "thee". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
^ "yourselves". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
^ ^a ^b Huddleston, Rodney; Pullum, Geoffrey K. (2002). The Cambridge grammar of the English language. Cambridge University Press.
^ Lass, Roger, ed. (1999). The Cambridge history of the English Language: Volume III 1476–1776. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
^ Rios, Delia M (2004-06-01). "'You-guys': It riles Miss Manners and other purists, but for most it adds color to language landscape". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2007-03-30.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Schreier, Daniel; Trudgill, Peter; Schneider, Edgar W.; Williams, Jeffrey P., eds. (2013). The Lesser-Known Varieties of English: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781139487412.
^ Jochnowitz, George (1984). "Another View of You Guys". American Speech. 58 (1): 68–70. doi:10.2307/454759. JSTOR 454759.
^ Finegan, Edward (2011). Language: Its Structure and Use. Wadsworth Publishing Co Inc p. 489. ISBN 978-0495900412
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Williams, Jeffrey P.; Schneider, Edgar W.; Trudgill, Peter; Schreier, Daniel, eds. (2015). Further Studies in the Lesser-Known Varieties of English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-02120-4.
^ "Expressions". The Aussie English Podcast. Archived from the original on Aug 23, 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Allsopp, Richard (2003) [1996]. Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage. Kingston: The University of the West Indies Press. ISBN 978-976-640-145-0.
^ "Dictionary of Trinidad and Tobago". Chateau Guillaumme Bed and Breakfast.
^ Dolan, T. P. (2006). A Dictionary of Hiberno-English. Gill & Macmillan. p. 26. ISBN 978-0717140398
^ Wales, Katie (1996). Personal Pronouns in Present-Day English. Cambridge University Press. p. 76. ISBN 978-0521471022
^ Kortmann, Bernd; Upton, Clive (2008). Varieties of English: The British Isles. Mouton de Gruyter. p. 378. ISBN 978-3110196351
^ Taavitsainen, Irma; Jucker, Andreas H. (2003). Diachronic Perspectives on Address Term Systems. John Benjamins Publishing Company. p. 351. ISBN 978-9027253484
^ Butler, Susan (Aug 30, 2013). "Pluralising 'you' to 'youse'". www.macquariedictionary.com.au. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
^ My sweet | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/03/2008 Archived April 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
^ McClelland, Edward (Feb 6, 2017). "Here's hoping all youse enjoy this". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
^ Rehder, John B. (2004). Appalachian folkways. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-7879-4. OCLC 52886851.
^ Howe, Stephen (1996). The Personal Pronouns in the Germanic Languages: A Study of Personal Morphology and Change in the Germanic Languages from the First Records to the Present Day. p. 174. Walter de Gruyter & Co. ISBN 978-3110146363
^ Graddol, David et al. (1996). English History, Diversity and Change. Routledge. p. 244. ISBN 978-0415131186
^ "you, pron., adj., and n." Oxford English Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
^ Roy Blount, Jr. (2008). Alphabet Juice: The Energies, Gists, and Spirits of Letters, Words, and Combinations Thereof; Their Roots, Bones, Innards, Piths, Pips, and Secret Parts, Tinctures, Tonics, and Essences; With Examples of Their Usage Foul and Savory. New York: Sarah Crichton Books. ISBN 978-0-374-10369-9.
^ Marcus Nordlund (2017). Shakespearean Inside: A Study of the Complete Soliloquies and Solo Asides. The Tun: Edinburgh University Press Ltd. ISBN 978-1-4744-1899-7.
^ Gammage, Kimberley L; Hardy, James; Hall, Craig R (October 2001). "A description of self-talk in exercise". Psychology of Sport and Exercise. 2 (4): 233–247. doi:10.1016/S1469-0292(01)00011-5.
^ Dolcos, Sanda; Albarracin, Dolores (October 2014). "The inner speech of behavioral regulation: Intentions and task performance strengthen when you talk to yourself as a You: Self-talk person and self-regulation". European Journal of Social Psychology. 44 (6): 636–642. doi:10.1002/ejsp.2048.
^ Garner, Bryan A. (2016). Garner's Modern English Usage. Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 978-0-19-049148-2.

[1] "Origin and meaning of it". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-03-20.

[:03-2] Blake, Norman, ed. (1992). The Cambridge history of the English Language: Volume II 1066–1476. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[etymonline.com-3] "thee". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-03-29.

[4] "yourselves". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-03-29.

[:142-5] Huddleston, Rodney; Pullum, Geoffrey K. (2002). The Cambridge grammar of the English language. Cambridge University Press.

[:02-6] Lass, Roger, ed. (1999). The Cambridge history of the English Language: Volume III 1476–1776. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[7] Rios, Delia M (2004-06-01). "'You-guys': It riles Miss Manners and other purists, but for most it adds color to language landscape". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2007-03-30.

[:1-8] Schreier, Daniel; Trudgill, Peter; Schneider, Edgar W.; Williams, Jeffrey P., eds. (2013). The Lesser-Known Varieties of English: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781139487412.

[9] Jochnowitz, George (1984). "Another View of You Guys". American Speech. 58 (1): 68–70. doi:10.2307/454759. JSTOR 454759.

[10] Finegan, Edward (2011). Language: Its Structure and Use. Wadsworth Publishing Co Inc p. 489. ISBN 978-0495900412

[:2-11] Williams, Jeffrey P.; Schneider, Edgar W.; Trudgill, Peter; Schreier, Daniel, eds. (2015). Further Studies in the Lesser-Known Varieties of English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-02120-4.

[12] "Expressions". The Aussie English Podcast. Archived from the original on Aug 23, 2018.

[:0-13] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Allsopp, Richard (2003) [1996]. Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage. Kingston: The University of the West Indies Press. ISBN 978-976-640-145-0.

[cguillaumme-14] "Dictionary of Trinidad and Tobago". Chateau Guillaumme Bed and Breakfast.

[15] Dolan, T. P. (2006). A Dictionary of Hiberno-English. Gill & Macmillan. p. 26. ISBN 978-0717140398

[16] Wales, Katie (1996). Personal Pronouns in Present-Day English. Cambridge University Press. p. 76. ISBN 978-0521471022

[17] Kortmann, Bernd; Upton, Clive (2008). Varieties of English: The British Isles. Mouton de Gruyter. p. 378. ISBN 978-3110196351

[18] Taavitsainen, Irma; Jucker, Andreas H. (2003). Diachronic Perspectives on Address Term Systems. John Benjamins Publishing Company. p. 351. ISBN 978-9027253484

[19] Butler, Susan (Aug 30, 2013). "Pluralising 'you' to 'youse'". www.macquariedictionary.com.au. Retrieved 2016-02-02.

[20] My sweet | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/03/2008 Archived April 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine

[21] McClelland, Edward (Feb 6, 2017). "Here's hoping all youse enjoy this". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2020-03-10.

[Rehder_2004-22] Rehder, John B. (2004). Appalachian folkways. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-7879-4. OCLC 52886851.

[23] Howe, Stephen (1996). The Personal Pronouns in the Germanic Languages: A Study of Personal Morphology and Change in the Germanic Languages from the First Records to the Present Day. p. 174. Walter de Gruyter & Co. ISBN 978-3110146363

[24] Graddol, David et al. (1996). English History, Diversity and Change. Routledge. p. 244. ISBN 978-0415131186

[25] "you, pron., adj., and n." Oxford English Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-03-29.

[26] Roy Blount, Jr. (2008). Alphabet Juice: The Energies, Gists, and Spirits of Letters, Words, and Combinations Thereof; Their Roots, Bones, Innards, Piths, Pips, and Secret Parts, Tinctures, Tonics, and Essences; With Examples of Their Usage Foul and Savory. New York: Sarah Crichton Books. ISBN 978-0-374-10369-9.

[27] Marcus Nordlund (2017). Shakespearean Inside: A Study of the Complete Soliloquies and Solo Asides. The Tun: Edinburgh University Press Ltd. ISBN 978-1-4744-1899-7.

[28] Gammage, Kimberley L; Hardy, James; Hall, Craig R (October 2001). "A description of self-talk in exercise". Psychology of Sport and Exercise. 2 (4): 233–247. doi:10.1016/S1469-0292(01)00011-5.

[29] Dolcos, Sanda; Albarracin, Dolores (October 2014). "The inner speech of behavioral regulation: Intentions and task performance strengthen when you talk to yourself as a You: Self-talk person and self-regulation". European Journal of Social Psychology. 44 (6): 636–642. doi:10.1002/ejsp.2048.

[30] Garner, Bryan A. (2016). Garner's Modern English Usage. Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 978-0-19-049148-2.

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v t e Modern English personal pronouns
I he she it who one we you they (standard)
y'all ye yinz (non-standard)
See also Modern English English personal pronouns and third-person pronouns