Is use of "shall" archaic?

Question

A friend of mine, pursuing BA(Hons) in English corrected me that no one uses shall now and often it is advised to prefer the use of should, would, etc.

Although Downton Abbey is set upon a time period decades ago, the characters make use of "shall" frequently in their sentences, I have noticed in some British movies and shows that the character make use of "shall" quite often. I couldn't help but notice that I never came across and American character making use of "shall" in an American TV show or movie, or maybe I missed catching the character making use of it.

What is with "shall" in this present-day? Is it obsolete now? Was it only used until contemporary era?

Mazura · Accepted Answer

shall, verb –Google

(in the first person) expressing the future tense.
"this time next week I shall [(will)] be in Scotland"

Personally, I shall allow shall to become archaic only over my dead body. It's not that I shouldn't or that I won't; I will.
The only time it replaces should is in the idiom "shall I..."

Admiral Piett: "Shall I hold them?"
Lord Vader: "No. Leave them to me."

I can't think of any instance where it should replace would.

clark · Answer

I would think most speakers would use the contractions "I'll" or "we'll or "you'll" or "they'll", in most conversations. And if you asked them whether they were contracting 'shall' or 'will' and asked for a RAPID response. . .I doubt you'd get one. If my surmise proved correct, the ambivalence would suggest "shall" is on the cusp, but not archaic.

Answered by clark on May 13, 2021

chiastic-security · Answer

I don't think Gandalf's

YOU SHALL NOT PASS!

would have sounded quite so authoritative any other way.

Colin Fine · Answer

In my (BrE*) speech "shall" is very much alive. In normal speech I say "I'll", but if I have reason to expand it, I'm as likely to say "I shall go" as "I will go".

And in a question, "Shall I" is much more natural than "Will I": I would say "will I" only when asking about a prediction or whether I will have permission or ability to do something in the future.

*Actually, this is one place where "British English" is an inadequate term, because Scottish English is different: many Scottish people do not use "shall" at all, even in permission questions: "Will I open the window?"

Anonymous · Answer

As a middle-aged American from the Northeast, I can confirm that the use of “shall” is alive (if not entirely well) among my cohort of speakers. I’m most inclined to use “shall” in an interrogative (shall I go to the store?) where in my usage the alternative (should I go?) implies an urgency or necessity (we’re all out of milk e.g.).
I’m just reporting here the style of usage I learned as a child, haven’t vetted it for its “correctness“. However, I do have the sense that the usage of “shall” is on the decline in popular American culture.

Global Charm · Answer

Shall is common in legal texts and related areas of writing, such as standards and specifications.
So common, in fact, that lawyers and judges are in constant debate as to its meaning. This alone is enough to make the word immortal.
A google search for “legal meaning of shall” should be enough to convince anyone. I chose the example below because I kind of like the University of Florida, but it’s one among many.
https://facultyblogs.law.ufl.edu/state-supreme-court-case-fuels-debate-over-shall-and-a-possible-solution-to-the-shall-problem/

chasly - supports Monica · Answer

I suggest that you become familiar with Google nGram Viewer and with Google Books for this sort of question. Here is your answer in graphical form.
American English

British English

A search on Google Books
Search terms are "shall" 21st century

Is use of "shall" archaic?

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