Is anybody familiar with the use of remember as in remember me to her/him? I think I've see it in 19th century literature. Most likely it's archaic.
I believe the speaker is commanding someone to give somebody his regards, or say hello. It seems awkward to hear it now as we only use remember in the imperative to remind someone of something, as in, "remember to walk the dog".
Where does this use of remember come from and is it out of use?
Looks like its use is fading fairly quickly. Too bad. Seems a more meaningful way of expressing the sentiment for which we now say tell him I said "hi."
Found reference of remember me to... from 1602:
Remember me to the "most worthy Governor."
Remember (someone) to means "convey greetings from one person to another." It is not an archaic use.
Remember me to Andrew.
The Corpus of Contemporary American English reports just a sentence where remember is used with that meaning, though.
Remember me to him, if you get that far.
19th-century literature?
The 3,322-year old Bible (Genesis 40:14) says that Joseph requested of the official in charge of the wine in Pharaoh's palace, "Only, remember me along with you, when he (Pharaoh does good to you, then you shall do kindness with me, and remember me to Pharaoh, that he remove me from this home (Joseph was in jail on trumped-up charges.)" (This is actually my free translation of the original Hebrew text.)
Truthfully, the verb used is 'le-hazkir,' commonly translated as 'to mention,' but in fact 'le-hazkir' is simply the word 'lizkor,' -- 'to remember' -- in the 'hif-il' verb form, which is often used when causing someone else to do something.
So, perhaps this is the source of the English phrase 'remember me to him' -- a mistranslation, of perhaps a too-exact translation, of the phrase in the Bible.
ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French remembrer, from late Latin rememorari ‘call to mind,’ from re- (expressing intensive force) + Latin memor ‘mindful.’ [NOAD]
It is equivalent to the statement "commend me to ..." which is the more archaic expression. "Rememember me to ..." is formal and perhaps a bit dated in the sense that all formal expressions seem to be growing dated, but is still used and heard in the right setting.
OED lists this as meaning #17 for remember; first example is
1560 Gresham in Burgon Life I. 302 To whom it may please you, I maye be remembered.
As I recall it was frequently said 40-50 years ago in the Deep South. I still hear it from Southerners as in “Remember me to your mama”.
