- you
- you O.E. eow, dative and accusative plural of þu (see THOU (Cf. thou)), objective case of ge, "ye" (see YE (Cf. ye)), from W.Gmc. *iuwiz (Cf. O.N. yor, O.S. iu, O.Fris. iuwe, M.Du., Du. u, O.H.G. iu, iuwih, Ger. euch), from PIE *ju.Pronunciation of you and the nom. form ye gradually merged from 14c.; the distinction between them passed out of general usage by 1600. Widespread use of French in England after 12c. gave English you the same association as Fr. vous, and it began to drive out singular nominative thou, originally as a sign of respect (similar to the "royal we") when addressing superiors, then equals and strangers, and ultimately (by c.1575) becoming the general form of address. For a more thorough discussion of this, go ↑http://etymonline.com/columns/do-be-thee.htm here. Through 13c. English also retained a dual pronoun ink "you two; your two selves; each other."Words for "you" in Japanese include anata (formal, used by a wife when addressing her husband), kimi (intimate, used among friends) or the rougher omae (oh-MAI-aye), used when talking down to someone or among male friend showing their manliness. Dial. you-uns, for you-ones, first noted 1810 in Ohio.
Etymology dictionary. 2014.