Define 4th Person Meaning

4th Person
Also sometimes called the 0th person (e.g. in the Finnish language)
It is grammatical tone used for generative indefinite referents.
People speak in 4th person when they want to make a general statement that applies to not just one particular person, or scenario, but instead universally. This is usually in the context of administering a command, asserting a universal moral claim, or in an academic lecturing style.
It is not typically used in everyday conversation. If you speak in the 4th person to someone, it can come across as if you are being impersonal/depersonalizing them, or ordering them / lecturing them.

Some linguists believe that the 4th person is not a real thing, but instead is actually just an extension of the 3rd person. If you take the perspective that the subject in 4th person perspective is an actual existing entity (e.g. a human, animal etc.), then it is the 3rd person, but if you do not assign a actual existing entity, then it remains in the general indefinite. In this regard, it is similar to the mathematical / logical statements, which exist without a subject.

Sometimes it used in a subtle ways such as when people make moral claims and use the term 'you' as a subject, but it is used as an indefinite general 'you' as opposed to a specific person that is being spoken to. Usually people do this unknowingly, and it is usually so subtle that it doesn't call for any acknowledgement in conversation.

"One should always do that" - the usage of the indefinite referent 'one' implies the 4th person
"Thou shalt not kill" - the usage of the indefinite referent 'thou' implies the 4th person
By Ondrea
4th Person
When someone talks about you , to you

( I mentioned something to a friend a week back) 2 weeks later she comes back and tells me about what “someone” told her - the someone being me . And so I asked her “ why are you quoting me in 4th person? ”
By Caro
4th Person
Basically speaking in 3rd person, but talking about another person who is with you.

... still working on this definition.

Latoya, Raquel, and Shantel
are hanging out at the arcade downtown.

Shantel-"Latoya loves DDR. She wants to play it."
Latoya-"Ay0 Raquel, Shantel loves speaking in 4th person."

By Verine
4th Person
1. When you have split personalities (skitzo) and one of the personalities talks about the other personality(ies) as if they are another body(ies).

2. Talking about your alter ego as if they are another person.

Bob has a split personality. His other personality is Tom. Bob said Tom is not here at the moment. So Bob is talking in the 4th person because he is talking in 3rd person but not talking in 3rd person. He is talking about himself but yet at the same time talking about another person. Hence 4th person.
By Birgit
4th Person
When an author is narrating about a person a person who is skitzo talking about their other personality consciously.

Author(me): is writing about Jake the skitzo. Jake the skitzo is talking about his other self (Alex) simultaneously.

Writing in 4th Person-"I was very worried when i heard what Jake said about Alex 'he wants to rob the cereal company' said Alex to Jake, and Jake to me."
By Guenna