USAGE: Tu

Nik Taylor wrote:
=3d---------=3d---------=3d---------=3d---------=3d
> Gustavo Eulalio wrote:
> >         Actually we still use "tu", however, with a third person
> > conjugation (as with "voc=ea").
>
> I thought _tu_ had died out.  How is it used?  What is the difference
> between it and voc=ea?
        In some regions, it has really died out. But, where it still
remains, it's used as an informal treament pronoun. It's something
you'll use with your family and friends. "Voc=ea", in my view, covers the
informality of "tu", plus and additional formality, i.e., you'll hear
"voc=ea" from a waiter, in a restaurant, but never "tu" (it's too
personal); but if you say "voc=ea" to a friend, s/he won't find it too
formal.
        Another point is what I've said above, "tu" is used in the 3rd
person. So:
        Eu falo (I speak)
        Tu fala (you speak) [instead of tu falas]
        Voc=ea fala (idem)
        Ele(a) fala (s/he/it speaks)
        N=f3s falamos (we speak) [not much used, we prefer...]
        A gente fala (we speak) [*]
        Eles(as) falam

        [*] Another curious fenomenon that occurs among the more
            illiterate population is that they confuse very much the
            "n=f3s" and "a gente" conjugations. So, you'll find "n=f3s
            fala", or "a gente falamo" (without the 's'), or even worse
            "n=f3s/a gente falemo".

--
~~~~~~~~ Gustavo Eulalio ~~~~~~~~~~ guga@guganet.8m.com ~~~~~~~~
~~ "Caia a faca no mel=e3o ou o mel=e3o na faca, o mel=e3o sofrer=e1" ~~
~~                                          Prov=e9rbio chin=eas  ~~
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