Re: Recalled to life

"Nathaniel G. Lew" wrote:
> I don't, but then again, neither do several major European languages
> ("you", "vous", "Sie", "vy" (Russ.)).
Ah.  I was under the impression that it was intended as a logical
language, so it seemed odd to lack that distinction.  :-)

And with French and German, at least, number is still distinguished in
the familiar.

> Especially with 2nd-person pronouns, I figure that number will be
> clear from context.
Perhaps, but not always.  There are contexts where "you" can be
ambiguous, which is why I never use (in speech at least) "you" as a
plural - "you" is singular, "Y'all" or "you guys" or "you" plus some
other plural noun is what I use for plural.

> One big exception is the 1st-person pronouns.  "I" and "we" feel to me
> like really different concepts, although I understand that several Asian
> languages just pluralize "I" for "we" or, if they have no plural, use the
> same word.
Actually, I think all languages distinguish "I" and "we".  Altho, they
may, like Japanese, use regular plural suffixes.  Watashi = "I",
Watashitachi = "We" (-tachi is a plural suffix, optional for most nouns,
but obligatory with pronouns).

Then again, of course, there's also the inclusive/exclusive distinction
in first person plural.

--
"There's no such thing as 'cool'.  Everyone's just a big dork or nerd,
you just have to find people who are dorky the same way you are." -
overheard
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