Why do english people write "I" in capital and "you" in small letter?

Question

They honor theirselves but not somebody they talk to? Isn't this grammatical phenomenon at least... strange?

Answer 1

First, it is NOT about conceit or "honoring oneself" above another.

It also is not for grammatical reasons. "I" is NOT a name! It is a pronoun, no different grammatically from "you", "he" or "she".

Rather, it seems to have developed for a very practical reason --as a way of avoiding confusion in handwritten documents. That is, this helped one avoid the mistake of reading this isolated letter as part of the adjacent word.

See the following:

"The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology (Wilson, 1988, ISBN 0-8242-0745-9) says: "~I~ pron. 1137 i; later I (about 1250, in The Story of Genesis and Exodus); developed from the unstressed form of Old English (about 725) ic singular pronoun of the first person (nominative case). Modern and Middle English I developed from earlier i in the stressed position. I came to be written with a capital letter thereby making it a distinct word and avoiding misreading handwritten manuscripts. In the northern and midland dialects of England the capitalized form I appeared about 1250. In the south of England, where Old English ic early shifted in pronunciation to ich (by palatalization), the form I did not become established until the 1700's (although it appears sporadically before that time).""
http://www.alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxwhyisi.html

Answer 2

I agree on strange. Unless a person is being extremely grammatical, the I often appears as the first word in a sentence, requiring a capital and in the same position, so does you. However, it gets the same capitalization in all positions. No idea, but since English is composed of many languages, with Greek and Roman grammar rules jammed onto it by people who wanted to give the language class, who knows.

Answer 3

Capital and minuscule letters are differentiated in the Roman, Greek, Cyrillic, Armenian and Coptic alphabets. maximum writing platforms (which includes those utilized in Georgian, Glagolitic, Arabic, Hebrew, and Devanagari) make no distinction between capital and lowercase letters, a gadget called unicase. certainly, even eu languages did no longer make this distinction in the previous approximately 1300; the two majuscule and minuscule letters existed, yet a given text cloth could use the two one or the different. In alphabets with a case distinction, capitals are used for capitalization, acronyms, and emphasis (in some languages).Capitalization is the writing of a be conscious with its first letter in uppercase and the relax letters in lowercase. Capitalization rules variety with the aid of language and are in many cases extremely complicated, yet in maximum present day languages that have capitalization, the 1st be responsive to each sentence is capitalized, as are all suitable nouns. some languages, which includes German, capitalize the 1st letter of all nouns; this exchange into before uncomplicated in English as nicely. (See the object on capitalization for an in intensity checklist of norms).

Answer 4

Yes, it made me mad when I started to learn English, exactly because of this cultural aspect. I also remarked that people do not start "you" in capital writing official letters... But it is obligatory in my native language even in letters for friends, unless you do not intend to demonstrate your deep disrespect for a person; or your own very poor education.

Answer 5

LOL...good eye. I never thought of it before you mentioned it, but it does seem pretty egotistical and self-important. But then, it's just a cultural difference, I suppose. Does it surprise you? It doesn't surprise me in the least and English is my native laguage.

I'm sorry, but I don't have the actual historical reason that it appears thus.

Answer 6

Um, no. That's the correct way. "I" is counted as a proper noun as it is very specific and is used as a subtitute for the name of the speaker, while "you" is not, as it has various meanings. It could be refering directly to a group, driectly to an individual, or indirectly to either. As a result it doesn't warrant capitalisation.

Answer 7

The English speaking world is a navel gazing one. Autism, it's called.

Answer 8

I don't know, but you make a fascinating point! It certainly seems consistent with the way most people in our society put themselves above others. (ooops, guilty as charged...well, in my defense, it began a sentence in this case.) However, Entwined makes an excellent (and very accurate) point too!

Answer 9

I agree, it's stupid! In spanish we don't do that, but we do capitalize Ud. (which is a formal way of saying you) for respect and such, though it isn't always done. But ya, in other langauges they don't, it's pretty stupid! Oh, and my first language is English, that's why i don't feel bad criticizing it! haha!

Answer 10

its not a phenomenon. "I" is in a first person usage thats why its commonly written in capital letter. and commonly the subject. "you" can still be capitalized or in small caps it depends how ul use it. you subjects are capitalize (You make my day.) and you objects are small caps (I give it to you.)

its grammar.