Re: CHAT: Politeness in conlangs

[Andrew Smith <hobbit@MAIL.EARTHLIGHT.CO.NZ>]

On Wed, 9 Jun 1999, Barry Garcia wrote:

> Reading the discusssion about politeness prefixes, i am wondering, how
> does everyone here handle them in your languages? In Sakatda Ka Kadomo
> there is a familiar you (umi) and a formal
> you (ami). For you all, they use the pronoun for "they"
>
Brithenig has two words for "you" in the same pattern: familiar (ty) and
formal/plural (gw).  Increased politeness is expressed in imperatives:

Gwen.  Come! (familiar)
Gwenith. Come! (formal/plural)
Ffageth wenir.  Do come! (formal and polite)
Ffagewth wenir.  Would you come.  (formal and considered courteous)

The Kemrese also use interjections such as "se ddeg' a'w", lit. if it is
pleasing to you, and "Greid", thanks.  The Kemrese regard this sort of
courtesy very highly.

- andrew.

Andrew Smith, Intheologus                       hobbit@earthlight.co.nz

        Lo! thy dread empire, Chaos! is restored;
        Light dies before thy uncreating word:
        Thy hand, great Anarch! lets the curtain fall;
        And Universal Darkness buries All.
                        - Alexander Pope, The Dunciad, Book IV.