The word 'ye' in names such as Ye Olde Inn ('the old inn') was originally simply pronounced 'the'.

The pronunciation with y is due to a misinterpretation of the first letter.

'Ye' originated as a second-best way of writing 'þe'. The first letter, þ, was called thorn. It was a letter for the th sound that originated in Old English.

Where did þ come from? How did it disappear? And why was it substituted by y in the word 'ye'?

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