Is this real Elizabethan grammar?

A stylised approximation. Real verb conjugation depends on the subject; this catches the famous swaps.

Shakespeare Translator — Early Modern English

Convert modern English into the Early Modern English of Shakespeare's plays. Thou for you, art for are, hath for has, wherefore for why. Verily, a most wondrous diversion.

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Shakespearean English

How it works: a 90-entry dictionary substitutes pronouns (you → thou, your → thy), 2nd-person verb conjugations (have → hast, do → dost, know → knowest), archaic adverbs (often → oft, before → ere) and some flavour vocabulary (death → demise, house → manor). Capitalisation is preserved.

Thou vs. you — the lost pronoun

Modern English uses one second-person pronoun: you. Early Modern English had two — thou for one person you knew well or were socially above, and you for groups or as a sign of respect (a bit like French tu vs vous). By 1700 this distinction had collapsed and you won. Quakers held onto thou for everyone as a sign of equality, which is why old Quaker speech sounds vaguely Shakespearean.

FAQ

Is this real Elizabethan English?

It's a stylised approximation. Real period grammar requires conjugating verbs based on subject (thou hast, but I have), which a single regex can't do perfectly. The output is recognisably Shakespearean for fun and creative writing.

Why does some output look odd?

If a sentence has no second-person pronouns or substitutable verbs, very little will change — feed it conversational sentences for the most theatrical effect.

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