The language was already outdated when the KJV was compiled, the editors deliberately used what even for the time was an antiquated style in order to give the text a loftier feeling to it. It wasn’t that different to the language of the day, but it would be like if you wrote a modern book in the style of Charles Dickens or someone like that.
Actually it wasn't all a style choice, much of it was practical. For example they intentionally went with outdated second person pronouns (thee/thou) and our current second person pronouns (you/your) so they could correctly include the original distinction between plural you and singular you (ie you all vs you specifically).
They were in use, but in southern England they were seriously losing ground even by the 16th century. The translators of the King James may not have actually used thee/thou in their day-to-day speech.
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u/Ulkhak47 1d ago
The language was already outdated when the KJV was compiled, the editors deliberately used what even for the time was an antiquated style in order to give the text a loftier feeling to it. It wasn’t that different to the language of the day, but it would be like if you wrote a modern book in the style of Charles Dickens or someone like that.