LL-L "Morphology" 2004.08.22 (07) [E]

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From: Andrys Onsman <Andrys.Onsman at CeLTS.monash.edu.au>
Subject: LL-L "Morphology" 2004.08.22 (04) [E]

>to: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
>Subject: Morphology
>
>Ron wrote:
>
>>Still surviving in most varieties is the use of such substitutions, if you
will, for the *first* person singular and plural when addressing children or
persons treated like children; <snip> I believe that this sort of thing is,
at least originally, a feature of many southeastern dialects of American
English, not specific to African American
>>varieties.  Is this correct?
>>
Hi Ron,
I think it's become far more prevalent than that - it seems everyone who
wishes to self-aggrandise uses the third person to refer to themselves.
(You wonder where you've missed the turn-off when Britney Spears tells
us what "Britney Spears" thinks - although this is only what Andrys
Onsman thinks!).

Perhaps the stereotypes can be exemplified by Tarzan (simple in the
Rouseau sense) and Elmo (simple in the childish sense). But most
interesting  is the appropriation of the device by those against whom it
had been used to maintain social inferiority - which I guess is
exemplified by Ms Ellie, as well as Snoop and P. Diddy. Language
reflecting the change in social capital.

Interestingly, Christopher Marlowe uses it in reverse in Dr Faust - the
protagonist initially refers to himself by name, but as he becomes more
comfortable in his new role he uses the first-person singular. I'm, not
sure if  Goethe's version also uses that device.

Just thinking aloud,
Andrys

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