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Personal pronouns are slightly more complex in Rihan than they are in English. There are two main differences from English:
- First Person and Second Person pronouns have four singular variants which are based on class and rank. It is important to use the correct form when addressing someone.
- Rihan has a plural version of the Third Person neuter pronoun that is used when speaking about a group that is mixed in gender or of indeterminate gender.
| Singular | Plural | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Person | Normal | arhem I, me |
mnean we, us |
| Formal, nonmodal |
rhanne I, me |
||
| Formal, sup-to-inf |
rhhæ I, me |
||
| Formal, inf-to-sup |
reh I, me |
||
| Second Person | Normal | hwi you |
hrian you (all) |
| Formal, nonmodal |
hwio you |
||
| Formal, sup-to-inf |
khia you |
||
| Formal inf-to-sup |
nnearh you |
||
| Third Person | Masculine | dii he, him |
diin they, them (all male) |
| Feminine | rii she, her |
riin they, them (all female) |
|
| Neuter | æi it |
lloann they, them (mixed gender) |
|
Proper Usage of Class and Rank Variants
For "I," use arhem when speaking to family or friends, or in other informal situations.
I run
But use rhanne, rhhæ, or reh when speaking in a formal situation. Rhanne is nonmodal and should be used when speaking to someone equal in class or rank, and it can also be used when you are unsure of the class or rank of the person to whom you are speaking.
I ran
Rhhæ should be used, though, when speaking to someone who is inferior to you in class or rank.
I don't run; I'm not running.
Reh must be used when speaking to someone who is superior to you in class or rank.
I didn't run.
The four variants of "you" follow the same pattern.
It is very important that you use the proper variant when talking to another person. To use the wrong variant can be considered an insult and in some cases can result in loss of status. For example, if a lower ranking officer in the military addressed their commanding officer using the superior-to-inferior version, it would be considered insubordination. Also, to use the inferior-to-superior variant when speaking to someone of lower rank or class is equivalent to belittling them.
Children should always be spoken to by adults using the superior-to-inferiror variants, regardless of rank or class. Likewise, children would always speak to adults using the inferior-to-superior variants. An exception would be with family servants. Servants should always be addressed with the superior-to-inferior variant, and they would always use the inferior-to-superior variant when performing their duties.
Shopkeepers and employees would use the inferior-to-superior variant when speaking to customers and clients. It isn't always required for the customer or client to use the superior-to-inferior variant though. The nonmodal can also be used.
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