Re: German 'duzen' and 'siezen' - etymology ?

On 10/20/06, Henrik Theiling <theiling@...> wrote:
> But I really get annoyed by Ikea having started to address their
> customers as 'Du' on all the signs.  Probably that's considered much
> more cool(tm) and dynamic(tm).
I thought it was intended to be a translation from the Swedish, where
the (theoretically) formal "ni" is apparently all but dead, with
everyone using "du" instead.

Though as you said, cultures are different, and I've heard of several
people here in Germany who react very negatively to being addressed as
"du" by Ikea promotional material.

> IIRC, the employees are also forced to use 'Du' among them, which, I
> think, is none of a company's business to decide.  Quite annoying.
Corporate identity? A bit like requiring employees to wear uniform, no?

> Anyway, when customers and personel talk, I think it is quite
> impossible to enforce 'Du', because it would be direct insult.
Yes - regardless of what corporate decrees. Trying to enforce that
would be economical suicide.
--
Philip Newton <philip.newton@...>