Datapoint Marathi / Politeness Distinctions in Pronouns

Language:Marathi
Feature:Politeness Distinctions in Pronouns by Johannes Helmbrecht
Value:Multiple politeness distinctions

Notes

āpaṇ

2nd sg. hhon.

- considered "extra polite";

- used to address priests, teachers, in-laws, and in

formal occasions;

- identical to 1st pl incl. opposed to āmhī (1st plexcl); identical to anaphoric reflexiv pronoun

he

2nd sg. hon.

- people of higher status are addressed by plural 3rd

person pronouns (demonstratives), the proximate/

remote distinction plays a role to signal the

psychological distance

te

2nd sg. hon.

- people of higher status are addressed by plural 3rd

person pronouns (demonstratives), the proximate/

remote distinction plays a role to signal the

psychological distance

2nd sg. fam.

- used to address family members or intimate persons;

however, husbands address their wifes with , but

receive a plural pronoun (tumhī, etc.);

- intimacy overrides power in the context of kinship

relations;

- female relatives are often addressed by fam ,while

male relatives receive plural forms; god is addressed by

2nd sg. infer.

- used to address people of lower status such as

sweepers, cleaners, rikshaw-pullers, barbers, cooks,

maids, servants, and laborers etc.

tumhī

2nd sg. hon.

- tumhī is used to address strangers; used in case of

uncertainty of status

References