Re: CHAT: vocatives (was: Re: ...y'know)

At 12:26 pm +0100 15/7/99, A Rosta wrote:
>Ray (28 June):
.....
>> PS - in SW London, this use of 'man' has become epicene among the
>younger
>> generation; female students even use this mode of address when
>speaking
>> among themselves.  Does this occur elsewhere?
>
>Also in NW London at least among those of nursery school age. My son
>calls both his parents "man".
   :-)

>More precisely, "man" is used as a vocative once the discourse is
>already
>established; it is not used for hailing (i.e. attracting the intention
>of the intended
>addressee). In this respect it is like "son", "mate" and "wack", but
>unlike "mum",
>"dad", "signora" and "jimmy".
Good point - yes, that's just the way I've heard it used.

>
> --And.
>
>p.s. I will not alas be in London on Saturday, else I would certainly
>have been at
>the top of the Euston tube escalators at 2:45 meeting Irina et al.
Nor I, I'm afraid.  I shall be in the Cotswold over the weekend, before
going onto South Wales for a fortnight.

Ray.

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A mind which thinks at its own expense
will always interfere with language.
[J.G.Hamann - 1760]
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