Can someone explain this archaic way of phrasing a question?
I'm watching a video where a character that is a 18th century aristocrat asks a question in a way I don't recognize. I'm not a native English speaker and I've never heard this form before. I'm going to paraphrase the phrase used:
"We're gonna look at two questions. What are Xs, and be they red"
What I don't get is the "be they red". I get that the question that's being examined (aside of what are X) is if Xs are red, but I'm not sure how that way of phrasing a question (be they) would be used in another phrase, and when would you use it.
I've heard something like "We love cats, be they calico or Persian", but that not the way it's being used in the phrase I'm asking about.
Has anyone heard this before? If so, could you explain when that form is used and use it in a different context?
questions archaic indirect-question 1700s
asked 2 hours ago
BeTheyBeThey
1
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add a comment |
I'm watching a video where a character that is a 18th century aristocrat asks a question in a way I don't recognize. I'm not a native English speaker and I've never heard this form before. I'm going to paraphrase the phrase used:
"We're gonna look at two questions. What are Xs, and be they red"
What I don't get is the "be they red". I get that the question that's being examined (aside of what are X) is if Xs are red, but I'm not sure how that way of phrasing a question (be they) would be used in another phrase, and when would you use it.
I've heard something like "We love cats, be they calico or Persian", but that not the way it's being used in the phrase I'm asking about.
Has anyone heard this before? If so, could you explain when that form is used and use it in a different context?
questions archaic indirect-question 1700s
asked 2 hours ago
BeTheyBeThey
1
New contributor
BeThey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Be is an old plural form of be, so that bit is fairly normal. But “we’re gonna look” doesn’t sound much like something an 18th-century aristocrat would be likely to say.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 hours ago
1
It's not really used in modern speech, unless the speaker is intentionally trying to sound archaic—or like a pirate. The construction is a common "pirate-ism": the so-called "Official Aussie Site for Talk Like a Pirate Day" is actually titled "Be Ye a Pirate?" which would translate as "Are you a pirate?"
– 1006a
2 hours ago
Yeah, it's archaic, and would generally be considered to have a sort of nautical slant to it.
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
Just to clarify, if anyone were to use this form would it go like this? -Are they happy? -> Be they happy? -I love your jacket. Is it cotton? -> I love your jacket. Be it cotton?
– BeThey
1 hour ago
What about the Bible? For example: "What be these?" You should be at least familiar with the first part of "The powers that be, are ordeyned of God" although it's not a question.
– Laurel
1 hour ago
add a comment |
I'm watching a video where a character that is a 18th century aristocrat asks a question in a way I don't recognize. I'm not a native English speaker and I've never heard this form before. I'm going to paraphrase the phrase used:
"We're gonna look at two questions. What are Xs, and be they red"
What I don't get is the "be they red". I get that the question that's being examined (aside of what are X) is if Xs are red, but I'm not sure how that way of phrasing a question (be they) would be used in another phrase, and when would you use it.
I've heard something like "We love cats, be they calico or Persian", but that not the way it's being used in the phrase I'm asking about.
Has anyone heard this before? If so, could you explain when that form is used and use it in a different context?
questions archaic indirect-question 1700s
asked 2 hours ago
BeTheyBeThey
1
New contributor
BeThey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I'm watching a video where a character that is a 18th century aristocrat asks a question in a way I don't recognize. I'm not a native English speaker and I've never heard this form before. I'm going to paraphrase the phrase used:
"We're gonna look at two questions. What are Xs, and be they red"
What I don't get is the "be they red". I get that the question that's being examined (aside of what are X) is if Xs are red, but I'm not sure how that way of phrasing a question (be they) would be used in another phrase, and when would you use it.
I've heard something like "We love cats, be they calico or Persian", but that not the way it's being used in the phrase I'm asking about.
Has anyone heard this before? If so, could you explain when that form is used and use it in a different context?
questions archaic indirect-question 1700s
questions archaic indirect-question 1700s
asked 2 hours ago
BeTheyBeThey
1
New contributor
BeThey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 hours ago
BeTheyBeThey
1
New contributor
BeThey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 hours ago
BeTheyBeThey
1
New contributor
BeThey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 hours ago
BeTheyBeThey
1
asked 2 hours ago
BeTheyBeThey
1
1
New contributor
BeThey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
BeThey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
BeThey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Be is an old plural form of be, so that bit is fairly normal. But “we’re gonna look” doesn’t sound much like something an 18th-century aristocrat would be likely to say.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 hours ago
1
It's not really used in modern speech, unless the speaker is intentionally trying to sound archaic—or like a pirate. The construction is a common "pirate-ism": the so-called "Official Aussie Site for Talk Like a Pirate Day" is actually titled "Be Ye a Pirate?" which would translate as "Are you a pirate?"
– 1006a
2 hours ago
Yeah, it's archaic, and would generally be considered to have a sort of nautical slant to it.
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
Just to clarify, if anyone were to use this form would it go like this? -Are they happy? -> Be they happy? -I love your jacket. Is it cotton? -> I love your jacket. Be it cotton?
– BeThey
1 hour ago
What about the Bible? For example: "What be these?" You should be at least familiar with the first part of "The powers that be, are ordeyned of God" although it's not a question.
– Laurel
1 hour ago
add a comment |
1
Be is an old plural form of be, so that bit is fairly normal. But “we’re gonna look” doesn’t sound much like something an 18th-century aristocrat would be likely to say.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 hours ago
1
It's not really used in modern speech, unless the speaker is intentionally trying to sound archaic—or like a pirate. The construction is a common "pirate-ism": the so-called "Official Aussie Site for Talk Like a Pirate Day" is actually titled "Be Ye a Pirate?" which would translate as "Are you a pirate?"
– 1006a
2 hours ago
Yeah, it's archaic, and would generally be considered to have a sort of nautical slant to it.
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
Just to clarify, if anyone were to use this form would it go like this? -Are they happy? -> Be they happy? -I love your jacket. Is it cotton? -> I love your jacket. Be it cotton?
– BeThey
1 hour ago
What about the Bible? For example: "What be these?" You should be at least familiar with the first part of "The powers that be, are ordeyned of God" although it's not a question.
– Laurel
1 hour ago
1
1
Be is an old plural form of be, so that bit is fairly normal. But “we’re gonna look” doesn’t sound much like something an 18th-century aristocrat would be likely to say.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 hours ago
Be is an old plural form of be, so that bit is fairly normal. But “we’re gonna look” doesn’t sound much like something an 18th-century aristocrat would be likely to say.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 hours ago
1
1
It's not really used in modern speech, unless the speaker is intentionally trying to sound archaic—or like a pirate. The construction is a common "pirate-ism": the so-called "Official Aussie Site for Talk Like a Pirate Day" is actually titled "Be Ye a Pirate?" which would translate as "Are you a pirate?"
– 1006a
2 hours ago
It's not really used in modern speech, unless the speaker is intentionally trying to sound archaic—or like a pirate. The construction is a common "pirate-ism": the so-called "Official Aussie Site for Talk Like a Pirate Day" is actually titled "Be Ye a Pirate?" which would translate as "Are you a pirate?"
– 1006a
2 hours ago
Yeah, it's archaic, and would generally be considered to have a sort of nautical slant to it.
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
Yeah, it's archaic, and would generally be considered to have a sort of nautical slant to it.
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
Just to clarify, if anyone were to use this form would it go like this? -Are they happy? -> Be they happy? -I love your jacket. Is it cotton? -> I love your jacket. Be it cotton?
– BeThey
1 hour ago
Just to clarify, if anyone were to use this form would it go like this? -Are they happy? -> Be they happy? -I love your jacket. Is it cotton? -> I love your jacket. Be it cotton?
– BeThey
1 hour ago
What about the Bible? For example: "What be these?" You should be at least familiar with the first part of "The powers that be, are ordeyned of God" although it's not a question.
– Laurel
1 hour ago
What about the Bible? For example: "What be these?" You should be at least familiar with the first part of "The powers that be, are ordeyned of God" although it's not a question.
– Laurel
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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1
Be is an old plural form of be, so that bit is fairly normal. But “we’re gonna look” doesn’t sound much like something an 18th-century aristocrat would be likely to say.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 hours ago
1
It's not really used in modern speech, unless the speaker is intentionally trying to sound archaic—or like a pirate. The construction is a common "pirate-ism": the so-called "Official Aussie Site for Talk Like a Pirate Day" is actually titled "Be Ye a Pirate?" which would translate as "Are you a pirate?"
– 1006a
2 hours ago
Yeah, it's archaic, and would generally be considered to have a sort of nautical slant to it.
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
Just to clarify, if anyone were to use this form would it go like this? -Are they happy? -> Be they happy? -I love your jacket. Is it cotton? -> I love your jacket. Be it cotton?
– BeThey
1 hour ago
What about the Bible? For example: "What be these?" You should be at least familiar with the first part of "The powers that be, are ordeyned of God" although it's not a question.
– Laurel
1 hour ago