Theiling Online    Sitemap    Conlang Mailing List HQ   

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

From:caeruleancentaur <caeruleancentaur@...>
Date:Monday, October 23, 2006, 14:21
>--- In conlang@yahoogroups.com, "Mark J. Reed" <markjreed@...>
wrote:
>If I may briefly attempt to drag this thread kicking and screaming >back toward the original question...
>Does Spanish have an equivalent verb to totoyer/duzen/etc? I've
never
>heard one...
The verb is "tutear." If there is one equivalent to "siezen," I'm not aware of it. Recently my parishioners told me that, as their pastor, I should "tutear" them. They continue to use Usted when addressing me.
>Henrik Theiling wrote: >We could perhaps agree that cultures differ in the selection of >situations that allow intimacy.
If "American" is a culture, then I'd like to amend Henrik's statement to "subculture." Judith Martin is a syndicated columnist in the US, more familiarly known as Miss Manners. She says that people should be called what they want to be called. There are, of course, some limitations to this. I'm not addressing anyone in the US as "your majesty." But, like Henrik, I don't care to be on an intimate footing with everyone who comes down the pike. If a salesperson addresses me by my first name, I tell them, "Please don't call me by my first name. We are total strangers." To be friendly with another does not equate to being friends. My parishes are in Appalachia, part of the American "Bible Belt." Many will not address me as "father" because of their interpretation of Jesus' words. I respect their view but, as they call their own pastors "reverend" or "pastor," it would be polite to address me so. However, there still is a lingering anti-Catholicism in many parts of our nation. Charlie http://wiki.frath.net/senjecas

Replies

Mark J. Reed <markjreed@...>
Roger Mills <rfmilly@...>