[Lexicog] Re: The irony of thou

[Fritz Goerling]

Philosopher Michael Levin noted: "The failure of (the terms) 'comrade' and
'citizen' to induce political equality suggests that language does not and
cannot shape thought in the manner or to the extent supposed by egalitarian
reformers."

The sociologist Peter Berger gave the following example of a failed
ideological imposition of a form of address:

"In modern Italian the intimate form of address is tu, while more distant
individuals are addressed as lei (which happens to be the third person
plural). Sometime in the 1930s Mussolini made a speech in which he
castigated the use of lei as an effete, indeed effeminate mode of language.
The purpose of the Fascist revolution, he said, was to restore vigour and
virility to the Italian people. The good Fascist was direct in language as
in action. The good Fascist, therefore, did not say lei; instead, he said
voi (the second person plural). Now, from a philological or semantic point
of view, this was sheer nonsense. The use of lei had never struck anyone as
effete or effeminate; it was, quite simply, standard Italian. But, needless
to say, the situation changed dramatically after Mussolini's speech. From
then on, everyone became highly conscious of the matter ... The use of lei
became a sign of reactionary, perhaps even subversive, attitudes. The use of
voi, preferably in a self-righteous and highly audible manner, was evidence
that the speaker (or writer) was a Fascist in good standing. Indeed, it
became the verbal equivalent of the Fascist salute. Put simply what before
Mussolini's pronouncement had been an apolitical and unreflective element of
the common language now forced itself on everyone's consciousness as a
highly political symbol."

This ideologically enforced change lasted only until the collapse of Italian
fascism, after which Italians returned to the old standard.

Fritz Goerling

Hayim Sheynin wrote:  

"Every political change reflects in a change of a formal address. The most
famous change in 1917 from gospodin/gospozha/baryshnia (Mr./Mrs/Ms) to
tovarisch/comrade. " 

 

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