[Lexicog] Digest Number 193

[Chaz and Helga Mortensen]

>
> So, honorifics in nominal references and presumably respect-moderated
> variation in terms of address appear to co-occur with "lack of polite
> phrases considered essential in English" in (roughly) eastern North
> America.

The language I work with, Northern Embera (Panama & Colombia), has no
honorifics as far as noun or verb morphology. It does have, however, a
number of different ways to express commands and obligations, which
correlate with one's attitude toward the other speaker (fear, love, anger,
disdain, amicability, etc.).

POSITIVE:
"Eat!"
"You are to (must/should) eat."
"It is better if you eat."
"I want you to eat."

NEGATIVE:
"Don't eat!"
"You can't eat (are prohibited from eating)."
"You shouldn't eat."
"You don't have to eat."

"Please" is expressed by "asking face-mercy". A verbal "thank you" is
alternatively nothing, "it is good", "it is beautiful" or the Spanish
"gracias" without the final S. Thanks is most often expressed by some small
gift or favor.

Men call older men they don't know "uncle", which is the same as "old".
Older women are called "aunt".

If you are well acquainted with a male roughly equal to you in age, you call
him "brother". "Brother" also implies some degree of closeness. If you are
less acquainted or have never met him, you call him a word that means "hey,
man". Female equals, such as your good friends' wives or sisters, can be
called "sister". Women call each other that as well.

Another term, "daughter", is used by women to address women they don't know
well or women who are younger. A man can call his wife, daughter or niece by
that term as well. Young men use it to endear themselves to the women they
like.

-Chaz Mortensen




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