Solidarity and Politeness

Group 9

·         Annisa Septiani

·         Mikail Jordan

·         Rexi Oktavian

·         Syahfitri

Tu and Vous

            Many language have a distinction corresponding to the tu-vous (Y/V) distinction in French,in grammatically there is a “singular you” tu (t) and a “plural you” vous (V),but usage requires that use vous with individuals on certain occasion. IV century: the use of plural vous was to address the emperor. There were two emperors: one in Constantinople and another in Rome, but the Empire was administratively unified. By addressing one, you were in fact addressing both emperors.As a consequence, the medieval upper classes began to use V-forms among them to show mutual respect and politeness. Lower classes used mutual T –forms Upper classes used T to address lower classes, but received V addressing.Asymmetrical T/V usage symbolized a power relationship.Symmetrical V usage became “polite” usage, spreading downwards in society. It was used, for instance, between wife and husband, parents and children and lovers Symmetrical T usage showed intimacy. People using this for had strong common interests, showed solidarity.

Address Term

            A term of address is a word,phrase,name,or title (or some combination of these) used in addressing someone in writing or in speech.Also called an address term or a form of address.

A term of address may be friendly,unfriendly,or neutral;respectful,disrespectful,or comradely.Althought a term of address commonly appears at the beginning of a sentence.

For Example:

Mr.President,I am not saying we wouldn’t get our hair mussed.But I do say no more than ten to twenty million killed,tops.Uh,depending on the beaks.

Politeness

            Politeness is socially prescribed, we adjust to others in social relationships in ways society deems appropriate.Impoliteness depends on the existence of standards. There are tow kinds of politeness:positive: we try to achieve solidarity and treat others as friends. We do not impose and never threaten their face. Example: symmetrical pronominal use negative: it leads to deference, indirectness and formality in language use. Example: Asymmetric T/V use.