词汇 | royal we |
词源 | royal we. Two centuries ago, the critic Edward Copelstan wrote: “There is a mysterious authority in the plural we which no single name, whatever its reputation, can acquire.” Royal we has been used by kings and queens since at least the reign of Richard I (1189–99) in England, and one old story claims that the practice was initiated by two Roman rulers who reigned in different capitals and issued identical joint decrees. Using we reflected the fact that sovereigns represented their many subjects, not just themselves, in addition to making the monarchs seem more authoritative. While the term royal we is fast dying among royalty today, it is often used by writers and editors because it seems both more authoritative and less egotistical than I. |
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