Spanish discourse- plural?
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- Junior Lexiterian
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Spanish discourse- plural?
I've been reading The Hobbit in Spanish and come across something completely puzzling. In the first scene, in which Gandalf introduces himself alone to Bilbo, Bilbo consistently uses the vosotros form to him (lleváis, sentaos, tomad, etc). Later he uses the vosotros form to the dwarves as well, even when only speaking to one. Why is he using the plural form to one person?
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- Grand Panjandrum
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- Junior Lexiterian
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That could be, but as far as I know there was no stated subject; it was all implicit in the verbs.
Please critique- http://fromthegreek.proboards105.com/
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- Grand Panjandrum
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- Junior Lexiterian
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Yes, I'm familiar with that. What I was saying was that I could not be sure if the subject was vosotros or vos.
Please critique- http://fromthegreek.proboards105.com/
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- Grand Panjandrum
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- Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:31 pm
- Location: Botucatu - SP Brazil
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- Junior Lexiterian
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- Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:21 pm
You (pl.) are lucky. In Hindi, there are three levels for 2nd person addressing: tu (extremely familiar, best avoided for foreigners), tum to equals or family, aap for courtesy.
But for example Tibetan is much worse. Nouns! may have up to four levels, depending on whom is addressed: Example 'mother': normal a-ma, honorific yum-ku-sho, high honorific hla-yum ku-sho, and for the mothers of Dalai and Tashi Lamas gye-yum ku-sho. Fathers have to make do with two levels, normal a-pha and hon. yab.
If you are familiar with Buddhist art, you will now have understood the meaning of the label yab-yum to describe the position/action in one sculpture gengre: Father-mother. Try this interesting discussion.
But for example Tibetan is much worse. Nouns! may have up to four levels, depending on whom is addressed: Example 'mother': normal a-ma, honorific yum-ku-sho, high honorific hla-yum ku-sho, and for the mothers of Dalai and Tashi Lamas gye-yum ku-sho. Fathers have to make do with two levels, normal a-pha and hon. yab.
If you are familiar with Buddhist art, you will now have understood the meaning of the label yab-yum to describe the position/action in one sculpture gengre: Father-mother. Try this interesting discussion.
Irren ist männlich
That's a point I overlooked. Please compare the Tarzan thread.Anders, don't tell me you'd call someone 'aap' out of courtesy?
It really is a with a macron or rather आप but I was too lazy. Even more weird, to have my utility give me the correct Hindi, I had to write Apa (ape/monkey in Swedish).
Irren ist männlich
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