Re: Combined Pronouns
| From: | Adam Walker <dreamertwo@...> |
|---|
| Date: | Wednesday, November 7, 2001, 13:35 |
|---|
>From: Christophe Grandsire <christophe.grandsire@...>
>Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2001 13:36:03 +0100
>
>En réponse à Patrick Jarrett <seraph@...>:
>
> >
> > I and you
> > He and I
> > she and I
> > Them and me
> > You and them
> >
> > Anyone know a language, con or true, that has a system like this?
> >
>
>Itakian not only has singular and plural pronouns (with an
>inclusive-exclusive
>distinction in plural), but also paucal pronouns, often having the sense
>of "just the ones in sight", or "just the ones we're talking about". So it
>doesn't exactly make the same distinction but the first paucal inclusive
>happens to be used a lot for "you and I", and the exclusive for
>"he/she/they
>and I".
>
Well, I know I've mentioned this before (tell me when you're sick of hearing
it), but Lrahran has a singular/dual/trial/plural distinction and has the
inclusive/exclusive distinction in ALL numbers of first person. Yes, ther
is a first person, singular, EXclusive pronoun. How do you use/translate
*that*? Well, it means something like "the I which is not I" or "the other
me". It can be used in speaking about that totally incomprehensible part of
yourself -- a bit like what the Jungians might call the shadow.
Oh, and then there are the fourth person pronouns which might be used when
the Jehovah's Witnesses (or whatever group you find particularly annoyingly
at your door) knock: Why can't you leave me alone? Here "you" would be a
fourth person pronoun ( grammatical number depending on how many individuals
are standing at your door) with the meaning being "you and your whole
organization" and is equally valid whether this particular annoying
individual has ever been on your door step before or not, since the
reference is to the addressee as a representative of a group. This form can
also be used in sentances like "You Democrats are going to . . . ", "But
you say . . ." Iguess it could be interpreted as "Your kind" in some
circumstances. And no, it need not be used in negatively emotive
circumstances only. It can be used in addressing representatives of groups
you admire too, "4thSing are so kind." addressed to a Sister of Perpetual
Charity would mean that this individual is representative of the kindness of
the group and you are addressing this praise to both your coloqutor and her
sisterhood.
Adam
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