[Lexicog] The Irony of Thou

[Mike Maxwell]

Benjamin Barrett wrote:
> Today, European languages with familiar and formal forms of the second 
> person pronoun are losing the formal form evidently as part of a 
> democratization process. 

A broad generalization is that in Costa Rica, which I would say in some 
ways is the most democratic of Central American countries, the formal 
form (Usted) is ousting the familiar form (tu).  The actuality is 
perhaps more complex, but I've heard that many Costa Riquences even use 
Usted with their pets.
-- 
	Mike Maxwell
	maxwell at ldc.upenn.edu


 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lexicographylist/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lexicographylist/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    mailto:lexicographylist-digest at yahoogroups.com 
    mailto:lexicographylist-fullfeatured at yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    lexicographylist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/