second-person
|sec-ond-per-son|
🇺🇸
/ˈsɛkənd ˈpɜrsən/
🇬🇧
/ˈsɛkənd ˈpɜːsən/
addressing listener
Etymology
'second-person' originates from the Latin word 'secundus,' meaning 'following' or 'next,' combined with 'persona,' meaning 'character' or 'mask.'
The term 'second-person' evolved from the Latin 'secundus persona,' which was used in grammatical contexts to denote the person being addressed.
Initially, it referred to the 'next character' in a narrative, but over time it evolved to specifically denote the grammatical category addressing the listener.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
referring to the grammatical category of pronouns and verb forms used by a speaker to refer to the person or people being addressed.
In English, 'you' is a second-person pronoun.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45