TransWikia.com

Is there any situation where an article could be used in front of a pronoun?

English Language & Usage Asked on June 14, 2021

I was reading an online copy of the King James Bible and (in John 18:1) found this:

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

The whole thing is fantastically archaic, but the notable part is into the which he entered. Obviously he entered into ‘the garden’ (the thing just mentioned), but surely into the which should just be into which, or possibly whereinto, whither, or really any of the dozens of archaicisms to choose from. I think I’m going mad thinking about this. Is is, in any way (even archaically), correct?

One Answer

Is appears to be a Middle English usage as suggested by A Grammar of the English Language, Volume 2 by George Oliver Curme:

Instead of the determinatives so — so we often find others in older English , especially the and that , as in the which , which that , the which that , the usual forms in Middle English, referring to either persons or things. The which began to appear in Old English.

Answered by user 66974 on June 14, 2021

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question

Get help from others!

© 2024 TransWikia.com. All rights reserved. Sites we Love: PCI Database, UKBizDB, Menu Kuliner, Sharing RPP