Why is the pronoun "I" capitalized when we,you, she, it, etc are not?

Answer 1

Ooooooooooooooooo good Q, that used to bug me hahahaha

A teacher tried to tell me in the fourth grade, it was because you are special..... and it is the most special word, so it got capitalized..... erm, yea.....25 years ago, dunno what to say LMAO

Best of luck

Answer 2

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)."

Answer 3

For historical reasons it was probably useful. Now i think it should be changed. I guess we don't have an organization to watch over our language as in some other countries (France for example), but it is time to update our language -- our spelling especially.

I do think it is weird to use an upper case "I" and a lower case "you". Also, "I" looks too much like a lower case "L", and that adds to confusion. Except for formal situations, i always make "I" lower case.

Answer 4

It's just one of the many quirks of the English language.

Answer 5

Because it goes to show that English is selfish! "I" am important, but they, we, she, you...not important enough to capitalize!

Answer 6

Because it is the FIRST person,a nd very important.

Answer 7

"I" is actually proper - referring to one's self specifically rather than an impersonal he, she whatever.

Answer 8

it's a single letter

Answer 9

because I am more important than you, he, her, or it!