Children Go Where I Send Thee

Question

There is an American song called Children Go Where I Send Thee. Does its name strike anyone as ungrammatical?CheersCB

Milky · Accepted Answer

In titles of songs and news headlines, we normally "telegraph" the writing. So, it's correct in that style.

If not telegraphed, it would be:

Children, go to where I (will) send thee. (A command)

Cool Breeze · Answer

Please, native speakers, there is something badly wrong with this title. It is none of the things Milky discusses.

Cheers
CB

Milky · Answer

And why not?

<<Children go where I send thee: how shall I send thee?

Well, I'm gonna send thee one by one

One for the little bitty baby

              A     E       B7    E

Who was born, born, born in Bethlehem

                  A     E       B7    E

Said he was born, born, born in Bethlehem >>

Philip · Answer

Cool BreezePlease, native speakers, there is something badly wrong with this title. It is none of the things Milky discusses.

Cheers
CB

It's my understanding that in the older style of English "thee" is the second person singular, making 'ye' the correct form for the plural.....but it's a song, a stylized song, at that. I believe the song always is sung with 'thee'...............

Cool Breeze · Answer

Philip
Cool BreezePlease, native speakers, there is something badly wrong with this title. It is none of the things Milky discusses.

Cheers
CB
It's my understanding that in the older style of English "thee" is the second person singular, making 'ye' the correct form for the plural.....but it's a song, a stylized song, at that. I believe the song always is sung with 'thee'...............

Hi Philip

Good, very good. I know the song is always sung with thee, but that doesn't make it grammatically correct. It has always bothered my ear since I studied Old English in my younger days. All those who think Children Go Where I Send Thee is good English should also think O Come, All Thou Faithfulis correct.

I really don't know at all, but I assume that the person who wrote the lyric didn't know about the history of thee at all and simply assumed that it is both singular and plural, as you is these days. Since thee is seldom used nowadays, people don't seem to know (or care) how it is used.

Cheers
CB

Milky · Answer

<Good, very good. I know the song is always sung with thee, but that doesn't make it grammatically correct. It has always bothered my ear since I studied Old English in my younger days. All those who think Children Go Where I Send Thee is good English should also think O Come, All Thou Faithful is correct. >

So you knew the answer all along? Why did you need to ask for help? Did you want to set a solecism trap?

Nef · Answer

The song isn't always sung with "thee". I learned it as

Children, go where I send you...

That version (which isn't the only one

) was in a song book we used at a church.

Cool Breeze · Answer

NefThe song isn't always sung with "thee". I learned it as

Children, go where I send you...

That version (which isn't the only one ) was in a song book we used at a church.

Thank you for that information, Nef. I didn't know that, but I think it's understandable because English isn't my mother tongue and I am far more familiar with Finnish songs.

I was just interested in knowing if the singular thee bothered any native speakers anywhere in the Anglo-Saxon world, like perhaps New Zealand or Australia, where the song isn't perhaps as well known as in America. Maybe it is well known there as well? I really don't know. Of course I assumed it was OK with most Americans as this is an American song.

Cheers
CB

Nona the brit · Answer

My first impression is that it is a horribly twee title rather than worrying about the grammar. Someone trying to sound 'biblical' and not pulling it off at all...

Milky · Answer

Dost thou think soeth?

Children Go Where I Send Thee

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