LL-L "Sociolinguistics" 2002.09.08 (02) [E/Danish/Swedish]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 08.SEP.2002 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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From: "John M. Tait" <jmtait at wirhoose.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Sociolinguistics" 2002.09.05 (05) [E]

Ron wrote:
>
>> John Magnus,
>>
>> Your description of the use of _du_ vs _you_ in Shetlandic is certainly
>> very interesting.
>>
>> Please bear in mind that there is variation in the (Continental)
>> European use of the familiar vs polite/deferential 2nd-person pronouns,
>> with regard to dialect, sociolect and generation/era.  While there is
>> mostly overlap, there are certainly also differences in the socially
>> correct usage of, say, French _tu_ vs _vous_, Spanish _tu_ vs _usted_
>> (even if we disregard Latin American dialects), Swedish _du_ vs _De_

Jag tyckte det var _Ni_ - eller hur?

One difference between the German and Shetlandic situation is, of
course, that Shetlandic has the constant influence of standard English
breathing down its neck. I see the difference in use of the 'you' form
as the harbringer of Anglicisation - the beginning of the tendency to
regard Shetlandic per se as not polite. I would say, also, that the fact
that parents apparently no longer teach their children who _not_ to use
the _du_ form to indicates a general lowering of 'language
consciousness' among Shetlandic speakers - again reflecting the view
that there is nothing 'correct' about Shetlandic anyway, that slot being
filled by standard English.

John M. Tait.

http://www.wirhoose.co.uk

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Sociolinguistics

John Magnus skrev (ovenstående):

> >> (even if we disregard Latin American dialects), Swedish _du_ vs _De_
>
> Jag tyckte det var _Ni_ - eller hur?

Selvfølgelig!  Det har Du ret I, John Magnus.  Ja, ja, det har jeg
fortjent.  :)  Jeg havde et skandinavisk eksempel og superhøfligheden i
Sverige I sinde, men jeg tænkte på dansk ...

Med venlig hilsen,
Reinhard/Ron

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