Examples of T-V Distinctions

In many languages, the formal singular pronoun derives from a plural form. Some Romance languages have familiar forms derived from the Latin singular t u and formal forms derived from Latin plural v os, sometimes via a circuitous route. Sometimes, singular V-form derives from a third person pronoun. Some languages have separate T- and V-forms for both singular and plural; others have the same form; others have a T-V distinction only in the singular.

Different languages distinguish pronoun uses in different ways. Even within languages, there are differences between groups (older people and people of higher status tending both to use and to expect more formal language) and between various aspects of one language. For example, in Dutch, u is slowly falling into disuse in the plural, and thus one could sometimes address a group as jullie (which clearly expresses the plural) when one would address each member individually as u (which has the disadvantage of being ambiguous). In Latin American Spanish, the opposite change has occurred – having lost vosotros, Latin Americans address all groups as ustedes, even if the group is composed of friends whom they would call tú or vos (mostly in Argentina and Uruguay). In Standard Peninsular Spanish, however, vosotros is still regularly employed in familiar conversation. In some cases, V-forms are likely to be capitalized when written.

Anglo-Saxon (Old English) had no distinction between formal and informal "you". In the 13^th century, the term "ye" was used as a formal version of "thou" (to superiors or non-intimates) — however, this use was often contextually-dependent (i.e., changing dynamically according to shifting nuances in the relationship between two people), rather than static. By the 17th century, "thou" increasingly acquired connotations of contemptuous address, or of addressing one's social inferiors (so the prosecutor in Sir Walter Raleigh's 1603 trial declaimed "I thou thee, thou traitor!"). Therefore, the frequency of use of "thou" started to decline, and it was effectively extinct in the everyday speech of many dialects by the early 18th century. The Quakers could still cause huge offence by addressing all individuals as "thou" for religious reasons (and refusing to remove hats or bow). Its use is now archaic except in certain regional dialects, usually as "tha", and Modern English today makes no T-V distinction.

The use of the term "thou", however, survives in some Christian liturgical language when addressing God, most notably in popular translations of the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments. It is also found in liturgical dialogue (for example, "The Lord be with you. And with thy spirit"). This is not an indication of familiarity but retention of the original distinction between singular "thou/thee/thy" and plural "ye/you/your", reflecting the corresponding singular and plural Greek forms in the original texts.

In Latter-day Saint prayer tradition, the terms "thee" and "thou" are often used to address God as a mark of respect.

Originally "ye" and "thou" were nominative pronouns, while "you" and "thee" were accusative forms, but by the 15th century, "you" had started being used as a subject pronoun, and only "thee" survived into Quaker "Plain Speech".

[ Honorifics

An honorific (sometimes honorable) is a word or expression that conveys esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes the term is used not quite correctly to refer to a title of honor (honorary title). It is also often conflated with systems of honorific speech in linguistics, which are grammatical or morphological ways of encoding the relative social status of speakers.

Typically honorifics are used for second and third persons; use for first person is less common. Some languages have anti-honorific or despective first person forms (meaning something like "your most humble servant" or "this unworthy person") whose effect is to enhance the relative honor accorded a second or third person.

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