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Whenever I play Fate/Grand Order, one thing I often hear when I use that
game's version of Nero Claudius is her using 余 when referring to herself.
Looking it up shows me that this particular pronoun has an archaic and formal
flavor to it, as well as having an oratory function. That last bit is what's
kinda got me scratching my head.

In what way is 余 oratory? What the proper way to use and understand 余, as a
pronoun, and in what context is it most often used?
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-07T10:11:23.167
76421
2020-04-08T09:06:12.673
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question
archaic-language first-person-pronouns
What is the proper way to use 余[よ] as a personal pronoun?
余 is one for a classic king or a person of equivalent status.

Here are some characters whose first person pronoun is 余:

  * 徳川茂々（『銀魂』） Tokugawa Shigeshige (from Gintama,) **a shogun**
  * メルエム（ハンター×ハンター） Meruem (from Hunter x Hunter,) **the king** of the Chimera Ants

Moreover, though I can't remember certain character, 余 is also known as
**殿様(lord)** -ish pronoun.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-07T12:50:33.553
76423
2020-04-07T12:50:33.553
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answer
余 is a first-person pronoun that is virtually heard only in fiction today. Its
user is limited to a king, an emperor, a _shogun_ , a demon load or someone of
equal status in fantasy/historical works. A female person may use it, too.

I think it's oratorical because it's a highly stilted pronoun mainly used in
official audiences, meetings, speeches, etc. When a user of 余 talks to his
close friends or children, he may use 私, わし or even 俺 instead. (Of course this
depends on the character.)
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-08T09:06:12.673
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2020-04-08T09:06:12.673
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answer