Editing Royal we (section)

== Non-Western usage ==
Several prominent [[Names of God in Judaism|epithets]] of the [[Tanakh|Bible]] describe the [[Yahweh|Hebrew God]] in plural terms: {{lang|he-Latn|[[Elohim]]}}, {{lang|he-Latn|[[Adonai]]}}, and {{lang|he-Latn|[[El Shaddai]]}}. Many Christian scholars, including the post-apostolic leaders and  [[Augustine of Hippo]], have seen the use of the plural and grammatically singular verb forms as support for the doctrine of the [[Trinity]].<ref>{{cite web |title=On the Trinity |url=http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1301.htm |publisher=New Advent |access-date=7 February 2014}}</ref> The earliest known use of this poetic device is somewhere in the 4th century AD, during the Byzantine period; nevertheless, scholars such as [[Mircea Eliade]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Eliade |first=Mircea |author-link=Mircea Eliade |editor1-last=Espín |editor1-first=Orlando O. |editor2-last=Nickoloff |editor2-first=James B. |title=An Introductory Dictionary of Theology and Religious Studies |date=2007 |publisher=Liturgical Press |page=396 |isbn=9780814658567}}</ref> [[Wilhelm Gesenius]],<ref>Gesenius, Hebrew Grammar: 124g, without article 125f, with article 126e, with the singular 145h, with plural 132h, 145i</ref> and Aaron Ember<ref>{{cite thesis |type=PhD |title=The Pluralis Intensivus in Hebrew |first=Aaron |last=Ember |location=Baltimore |publisher=Johns Hopkins University |date=1905 |page=207 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=VEUDAAAAMAAJ |via=Google Books}}</ref> claim that Elohim is a form of majestic plural in the Torah.

In [[Imperial China]] and every monarchy within [[East Asian cultural sphere|its cultural sphere]] (including [[Japanese Empire|Japan]], [[Korean Empire|Korea]], Ryukyu, and [[Vietnamese Empire|Vietnam]]), the majestic imperial pronoun was expressed by the [[Chinese character|character]] {{lang|zh-Latn|zhèn}} ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|朕}}}}, {{langx|och-Latn|proto=yes|lrəmʔ}}). This was in fact the former Chinese first-person {{em|singular}} pronoun (that is, {{gloss|I}}). However, following his [[Qin's wars of unification|unification of China]], the [[List of rulers of China|emperor]] [[Shi Huangdi]] arrogated it entirely for his personal use. Previously, in the Chinese cultural sphere, the use of the first-person pronoun in formal courtly language was already uncommon, with the nobility using the self-deprecating term {{lang|zh-Latn|guǎrén}} {{lang|zh|寡人}} ({{gloss|lonely one}}) for self-reference, while their subjects referred to themselves as {{lang|zh-Latn|chén}} {{lang|zh|臣}} ({{gloss|subject}}, original meaning {{gloss|servant}} or {{gloss|slave}}), with an indirect deferential reference like {{lang|zh-Latn|zúxià}} {{lang|zh|足下}} ({{gloss|below [your] foot}}), or by employing a [[Chinese honorifics|deferential epithet]] (such as the adjective {{lang|zh-Latn|yú}} ({{lang|zh|愚}}), {{gloss|foolish}}). While this practice did not affect the non-Chinese countries as much since their variants of {{lang|zh-Latn|zhèn}} ({{lang|zh|朕}}) and other terms were generally imported loanwords, the practice of polite avoidance of pronouns nevertheless spread throughout East Asia. {{Crossreference|(For more information, see: [[Japanese pronouns]], [[Korean pronouns]], and [[Vietnamese pronouns]].)}} This still persists, except in [[China]], where, following the [[May Fourth Movement]] and the [[Chinese Communist Party|Communist Party]] victory in the [[Chinese Civil War]], the use of the first-person pronoun {{lang|zh|我}} {{lang|zh-Latn|wǒ}}, which dates to the Shang dynasty oracle inscriptions as a plural possessive pronoun, is common. {{Crossreference|(See also [[Chinese Pronouns]].)}} {{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}

In [[Hindustani language|Hindustani]] and other [[Indo-Aryan languages]], the majestic plural is a common way for elder speakers to refer to themselves, and also for persons of higher social rank to refer to themselves. In certain communities, the first-person singular ({{langx|hi|मैं|maiṁ|I}}) may be dispensed with altogether for self-reference and the plural [[nosism]] used uniformly.{{cn|date=July 2024}}<!-- Invalid ref added here in Revision as of 20:07, 3 February 2014 by 203.145.159.148. What is it? Rupert Snell and Simon Weightman coauthored books on Hindi, but I can't find any older than 1993: ''Hindi: A Complete Course for Beginners Book and 2 Tapes''. -- <ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Snell|Weightman|1989|p=106}}</ref> -->

In Islam, several plural word forms are used to refer to [[Allah]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Surah Al-Hijr [15:9]|url=https://quran.com/15:9|website=Surah Al-Hijr [15:9]|language=en|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref>

In [[Malaysia]], before the [[Yang di-Pertuan Agong]] takes office, he will first take an oath, in which the Malay word for 'we', {{lang|ms|kami}}, would be the pronoun used. This is because His Majesty represents the other Malay Rulers of Malaysia during his reign as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.{{cn|date=July 2024}}

Historically, in Indonesia, royal we "''Kami, Presiden Republik Indonesia''" (We, President of Republic of Indonesia) used as preamble of early Indonesian law products, Government Regulation No. 1/1945<ref name="PP2">{{cite act|type=Government Regulation|index=1/1945|date=1945|legislature=President of Indonesia|title=PERATURAN PEMERINTAH NOMOR 1 TAHUN 1945 TENTANG DAN MULAI BERLAKUNJA UNDANG-UNDANG DAN PERATURAN PEMERINTAH|url=https://jdih.setkab.go.id/PUUdoc/8186/PP0011945.pdf|language=id}}</ref> and Law No. 1/1945.<ref name="PP22">{{cite act|type=Law|index=1/1945|date=1945|legislature=President of Indonesia|title=UNDANG-UNDANG 1945 NOMOR 1 TENTANG PERATURAN MENGENAI KEDUDUKAN KOMITE NASIONAL DAERAH.|url=https://jdih.setkab.go.id/PUUdoc/8341/UU0011945.pdf|language=id}}</ref> But later no longer used in 1946 since issuance of Government Regulation No. 1/1946<ref name="PP23">{{cite act|type=Government Regulation|index=1/1946|date=1946|legislature=President of Indonesia|title=PERATURAN PEMERINTAH NOMOR 1 TAHUN 1946 TENTANG BANK RAKYAT INDONESIA|url=https://jdih.setkab.go.id/PUUdoc/8189/PP0011946.pdf|language=id}}</ref> and Law No. 1/1946.<ref name="PP222">{{cite act|type=Law|index=1/1946|date=1946|legislature=President of Indonesia|title=UNDANG-UNDANG NOMOR 1 TAHUN 1946 TENTANG PERATURAN HUKUM PIDANA|url=https://jdih.setkab.go.id/PUUdoc/8342/UU0011946.pdf|language=id}}</ref>