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Pluralis majestatis
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The majestic plural (pluralis maiestatis in Latin) is the use of a plural pronoun to refer to a single person holding a high office, such as a monarch, bishop, pope, or university rector. It is also called the Royal pronoun, the Royal 'we' or the Victorian 'we'. The more general word for the use of "we" to refer to oneself is nosism, from the Latin nos.
The idea behind the pluralis maiestatis is that a monarch or other high official always speaks for his or her people.
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Encyclopedia
The majestic plural (pluralis maiestatis in Latin) is the use of a plural pronoun to refer to a single person holding a high office, such as a monarch, bishop, pope, or university rector. It is also called the Royal pronoun, the Royal 'we' or the Victorian 'we'. The more general word for the use of "we" to refer to oneself is nosism, from the Latin nos.
The idea behind the pluralis maiestatis is that a monarch or other high official always speaks for his or her people. For example, the Basic Law of the Sultanate of Oman opens thus:
- On the Issue of the Basic Law of the State We, Qaboos bin Said, Sultan of Oman…
Famous examples of purported instances:
- We are not amused. — Queen Victoria (in at least one account of this quotation, though, she was not speaking for herself alone, but for the ladies of the court.)
- In his abdication statement, Nicholas II of Russia uses the pluralis maiestatis liberally, as in "In agreement with the Imperial Duma, We have thought it well to renounce the Throne of the Russian Empire and to lay down the supreme power."
Another view of the form is that it reflects the fact that when a monarch speaks he speaks both in his own name and in the name of his function, office or status.
United States Navy Admiral Hyman G. Rickover told a subordinate who used the royal we: "Three groups are permitted that usage: pregnant women, royalty, and schizophrenics. Which one are you?" This was said as the subordinate was speaking for superiors without authority, as well as in an unofficial capacity. Mark Twain once made a similar remark: "Only kings, presidents, editors, and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial 'we.'"
The majestic plural is distinct from the plural of modesty (pluralis modestiae) and the author's plural (pluralis auctoris) or the inclusion of readers or listeners, respectively, the latter often used in mathematics. For instance:
- Let us calculate! — Leibniz
- We are thus led also to a definition of "time" in physics. — Albert Einstein
The tradition of the Royal We may also be traced to the Mughals of India and Sultans of Banu Abbas and Banu Umayyah. The "Royal We" is used to express the dignity or highest position either understood as strictly hierarchical or as referential to an alternate "higher" than ego identity. This use of the "Royal We" has been understood as totally different from the concept of its Western, or Occidental use. Western use here denotes a "Royal We" used by Kings / Queens speaking on behalf of their people.
There are many verses in the Quran where Allah speaks using the Arabic pronoun “nahnu” (meaning we) or its associated suffix….”we” created, “we” sent down, etc.
Use by editors
Editors may use we, in which case the practice is called editorial we.
See also
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