Ye olde
Ye Olde is a stock prefix, used often anachronistically in the case of theme pubs, to indicate things of mediaeval extraction, things which are English, or, as in popular caricature (especially in the United States) the two are synonymous, both indicating, perhaps, a Deep England, half-timbered feel. The construction Ye Olde English Pubbe is the usual example, a standard bar name akin to The Red Lion.
The use of the term "Ye" to represent a pseudo-Early Modern English form of the word "the" is, in fact, incorrect.[citation needed] This mistaken attribution is due to the mediaeval usage of the letter thorn (þ) to represent "th" - a letter which is today only in common use in Icelandic. The word "The" was thus written Þe, which in mediaeval script looked very similar to the letters "ye".[citation needed]
See also
External links
- Ye Olde English Sayings
- Ye Olde England Inn, a mock-Tudor hotel complete with references to Dickens and warm beer.
- Oxford Dictionary's FAQ: Why is 'ye' used instead of 'the' in antique English?
 | This linguistics article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |