Grammar of (verb)し(noun) such as in 選ばれし者


Is there a grammatical explanation for this pattern, which I have seen a
couple times in writing? I'm guessing it comes from classical grammar.




It is from 'classical' grammar, or rather Early Middle Japanese. -し is the 連体形
(the 'attributive' form, used to modify nouns) of the past tense marker -き. It
is used to describe events the speaker knows have happened; in contrast to
-けり, which is used for events the speaker has only heard about but not
experienced himself. (There are a few other past tense or perfect aspect
markers - -ぬ, -り, etc - that are older and in varying stages of loss by Middle
Japanese.)

選ばれし者 then means 'the chosen one(s), the one(s) who has/have been chosen'.




It is from 'classical' grammar, or rather Early Middle Japanese. -し is the 連体形
(the 'attributive' form, used to modify nouns) of the past tense marker -き. It
is used to describe events the speaker knows have happened; in contrast to
-けり, which is used for events the speaker has only heard about but not
experienced himself. (There are a few other past tense or perfect aspect
markers - -ぬ, -り, etc - that are older and in varying stages of loss by Middle
Japanese.)

選ばれし者 then means 'the chosen one(s), the one(s) who has/have been chosen'.

