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15 pages, 398 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Unlocking the Power of Oom and Tannie: How Forms of Address Shape Perception and Respect in Afrikaans

by Carla Ellis

Languages 2024, 9(11), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages9110340 - 30 Oct 2024

Viewed by 637

Although some research on forms of address toward adults in the South African context has been conducted in the past, there remains a gap regarding the use of oom and tannie as a specific informal Afrikaans form of address. This study comprises both [...] Read more.

Although some research on forms of address toward adults in the South African context has been conducted in the past, there remains a gap regarding the use of oom and tannie as a specific informal Afrikaans form of address. This study comprises both a review of the existing literature and an empirical investigation to address this gap. A mixed-methods approach was used to conduct the empirical investigation. Quantitative data were collected through electronic questionnaires completed by adults and learners. Qualitative data were collected by conducting semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the data indicated that the use of oom and tannie is still prevalent in the Afrikaans-speaking community, demonstrating a high frequency of use. From the data, it becomes evident that age, respect, familiarity, social class, and status serve as determining factors in the use of oom and tannie. The age difference between speaker and addressee that serves as the accepted norm for using oom and tannie remains ten years or more. It seems that the Afrikaans community is moving toward a more informal and solidary society, with oom and tannie or first names being preferred over the use of titles. Without a doubt, oom and tannie are used in the Afrikaans community as alternative forms of respect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perception and Processing of Address Terms)

13 pages, 343 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pronominal Address in German Sales Talk: Effects on the Perception of the Salesperson

by Heinz L. Kretzenbacher and Susanne Hensel-Börner

Languages 2024, 9(10), 316; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages9100316 - 29 Sep 2024

Viewed by 932

Abstract

Increasing numbers of commercial enterprises in the German-speaking countries are switching from the traditional formal Sie address for customers to the more casual du address. This article reports on a part of an interdisciplinary empirical study evaluating the effect that the address pronoun [...] Read more.

Increasing numbers of commercial enterprises in the German-speaking countries are switching from the traditional formal Sie address for customers to the more casual du address. This article reports on a part of an interdisciplinary empirical study evaluating the effect that the address pronoun used towards the customer has on the perception of the salesperson. Respondents were shown short videos of sales encounters and asked to indicate their perception of the salesperson in a guided questionnaire. The choice of either du or Sie as the address pronoun used by the salesperson in the videos did not make a substantial difference to the way the salesperson was perceived by the respondent group as a whole, but some significant differences appeared within sub-cohorts, which were determined by the gender, age group and education level of respondents, and by the industries in which the videos that the respondents watched were set. The overwhelming majority of the significant differences in the perceptions of the salesperson according to the address pronoun used shows that the salesperson using Sie is seen in a more positive light. This suggests that, somewhat surprisingly and counterintuitively, addressing customers with du does not have the general effect of improving the perception of the salesperson. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perception and Processing of Address Terms)

23 pages, 1983 KiB

Open AccessArticle

What I Can Do with the Right Version of You: The Impact of Narrative Perspective on Reader Immersion, and How (in)Formal Address Pronouns Influence Immersion Reports

by Patricia Sánchez Carrasco, Marjolein Van Hoften and Gert-Jan Schoenmakers

Languages 2024, 9(8), 265; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages9080265 - 30 Jul 2024

Viewed by 1046

Abstract

Previous research has shown that readers experience stronger immersion while reading first-person narratives than third-person narratives, but whether this difference in processing is time-sensitive remains unclear. We report on a self-paced reading experiment in which French participants read short stories in first and [...] Read more.

Previous research has shown that readers experience stronger immersion while reading first-person narratives than third-person narratives, but whether this difference in processing is time-sensitive remains unclear. We report on a self-paced reading experiment in which French participants read short stories in first and in third person. Additionally, participants were directly addressed with either formal or informal second-person pronouns in the final sentence of the narrative, as well as in a subsequent (off-line) questionnaire soliciting post-story immersion reports. The suitability of a particular pronoun of address depends on the social context, and misplaced use can impact the way in which people perceive and assess a particular situation. We did not find significant differences between reading times with first- or third-person pronouns, but participants reported higher immersion and emotional engagement after reading first-person stories than third-person stories. Moreover, the effect of story perspective on reported immersion only occurred when participants were addressed with formal second-person pronouns. We take these findings as evidence for an effect of first- versus third-person pronouns on immersion via perspective shifts. Moreover, we argue that the effect of being addressed with an unexpected (in this case, informal) pronoun can overrule such an effect, while being addressed with an expected (in this case, formal) pronoun can be conducive of it. This finding highlights the importance of research into the impact of pronouns of address. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perception and Processing of Address Terms)

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15 pages, 715 KiB

Open AccessArticle

You Can Help Us! The Impact of Formal and Informal Second-Person Pronouns on Monetary Donations

by Sebastian Sadowski, Helen de Hoop and Laura Meijburg

Languages 2024, 9(6), 199; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages9060199 - 30 May 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1062

Abstract

Does it matter whether charitable organizations address potential donors with an informal or formal second-person pronoun in their appeal to donate money? This study shows that it does indeed make a difference. Using an informal pronoun of address can have a positive effect [...] Read more.

Does it matter whether charitable organizations address potential donors with an informal or formal second-person pronoun in their appeal to donate money? This study shows that it does indeed make a difference. Using an informal pronoun of address can have a positive effect on intentions to donate money. An online experiment (n = 220) found that a charitable appeal to potential donors was more effective when an informal rather than a formal second-person pronoun was used in Dutch, particularly for altruistic people. We discuss the potential explanations of this effect, concentrating on the association between the informal pronoun of address and perceived closeness, and the generic versus deictic reference of informal pronouns of address in Dutch. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perception and Processing of Address Terms)

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16 pages, 7141 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

When Your Pronominal Marking Matters during a Pandemic: Shawi Pronominals and COVID-19 Interventions

by Luis Miguel Rojas-Berscia

Languages 2024, 9(5), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages9050178 - 14 May 2024

Viewed by 923

Abstract

In this communication, I focus on Shawi forms of address used in Peruvian State posters during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic took a heavy toll on the Peruvian Indigenous population. A recent study showed that Indigenous people had 3.18 times the risk [...] Read more.

In this communication, I focus on Shawi forms of address used in Peruvian State posters during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic took a heavy toll on the Peruvian Indigenous population. A recent study showed that Indigenous people had 3.18 times the risk of infection and 0.4 times the mortality risk of the general population in Peru. The Shawi have not been included among the most heavily affected. A preliminary descriptive and critical account of Peruvian State posters whereby languages such as Shawi and other Peruvian Indigenous languages (Awajun, Ashaninka, different varieties of Quechua, Shipibo, etc.) have been used to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is provided. Shawi seems to be the only language of the sample where information has been framed using first-person inclusive forms. This appears to have led to enhanced communal engagement in the suggested health-related practices. Additionally, opinions on the issue from local stakeholders are briefly discussed. While the results are derived solely from preliminary observations, my findings could serve as a basis for enhancing health communication strategies in other Indigenous contexts, utilizing linguistically informed intercultural approaches. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perception and Processing of Address Terms)

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14 pages, 360 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Metalinguistic Commentary on Forms of Address in a Finnish Autobiographical Novel Series

by Hanna Lappalainen and Maija Saviniemi

Languages 2024, 9(5), 153; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages9050153 - 23 Apr 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1068

Abstract

This article examines the metalinguistic commentary on address practices in a Finnish autobiographical novel series, the 26-volume Iijoki-sarja ‘Iijoki Series’ (1971–1998) by Kalle Päätalo. Our aim is to show how the forms of address affect the protagonist and other characters. The study is [...] Read more.

This article examines the metalinguistic commentary on address practices in a Finnish autobiographical novel series, the 26-volume Iijoki-sarja ‘Iijoki Series’ (1971–1998) by Kalle Päätalo. Our aim is to show how the forms of address affect the protagonist and other characters. The study is anchored in previous sociopragmatic research on address and in folk linguistics. The analysis is based on searches in the digital corpus of the whole series by means of keywords related to forms of address. The analysis proceeds chronologically, from Kalle’s childhood and adolescence to his marriage and working life, including his social rise from a poor country boy to a full-time novel writer. Our results show that Kalle, the fictional protagonist of the series, mirrors his own and others’ choices in address practices throughout his life against the norms he has learned in his childhood. These choices are explained by the (relative) age, sex, status and regional background of the interlocutors. Metalinguistic comments reflect the characters’ social relations and changes in them during the protagonist’s linguistic biography. We argue that fiction can open up perceptions and contexts related to address practices that are not easily accessible by other methods or datasets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perception and Processing of Address Terms)

18 pages, 432 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perceptions of Forms of Address in European Portuguese in Online Metadiscourse or What Happens When You Use você in Court

by Rita Faria

Languages 2024, 9(4), 133; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages9040133 - 7 Apr 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1059

Abstract

The point of departure for this study is an incident in 2020 when a football manager testifying in a Lisbon court used the pronoun of address você and was reprimanded. With the aid of corpus linguistics, we qualitatively analyse the comments (understood as [...] Read more.

The point of departure for this study is an incident in 2020 when a football manager testifying in a Lisbon court used the pronoun of address você and was reprimanded. With the aid of corpus linguistics, we qualitatively analyse the comments (understood as metacomments) that this case generated on media outlets and social media. The main conclusion is that the sociocultural foundations of EP (European Portuguese) address are polarised and unstable based on the following: the nexus between forms of address and the expression of (im)politeness is often rejected, with concerns that a complex system of address might impede an egalitarian society; despite this, discernment remains a core facet, expressed in the concern for finding appropriate sociolinguistic rules so as to arrive at forms understood as intrinsically (im)polite. Furthermore, a binary T/V dimension does not apply to the EP system, and although a N (neutral) dimension should be added, the polarised perceptions of EP address preclude clear candidates not only for the N platform but also, to an extent, for the V dimension. Fifty years after the 1974 ‘Carnation’ Revolution that initiated the transition to democracy in Portugal, EP conceptualisations of address show that sociocultural concerns for an egalitarian society coexist with persistent concerns for hierarchy and rules. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perception and Processing of Address Terms)

21 pages, 464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The (Lack of) Salience of T/V Pronouns in Professional Communication: Evidence from an Experimental Study for Belgian Dutch

by Laura Rosseel, Eline Zenner, Fabian Faviana and Bavo Van Landeghem

Languages 2024, 9(3), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages9030112 - 20 Mar 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1792

Abstract

In their quest to find a suitable tone of voice in an informalizing society, many companies are confronted with the choice of using T or V pronouns in their B2C communications. This paper presents an experimental study addressing the question of whether the [...] Read more.

In their quest to find a suitable tone of voice in an informalizing society, many companies are confronted with the choice of using T or V pronouns in their B2C communications. This paper presents an experimental study addressing the question of whether the recipients of these messages actually notice the difference between being addressed with a T form, which carries social meanings of informality and proximity, or a more distant V form, and to what extent the presence of additional informal linguistic features influences the salience of a pronoun switch. We furthermore investigate to what extent the professional socialization of participants impacts on the noticing of pronoun use. In a case study for Belgian Dutch, participants (N = 279) were presented with two versions of an information letter that they were asked to read quickly. The texts were manipulated for the use of T/V pronouns, as well as, depending on the condition, a number of additional informal linguistic features (i.e., informal punctuation, intensifiers, and English lexical items). Participants were not warned in advance about the changes between the two versions of the stimulus text. In a salience test following the presentation of the two text versions, less than 10% of participants noticed a switch in T/V form regardless of the presence of additional informal features. Similarly low rates of noticing were found for the other informal features, except for English loanwords. No differences were found depending on whether participants had a language-related professional background (e.g., language teachers, journalists, editors). We argue that the lack of noticing T/V pronouns may be due to the specifics of the Belgian Dutch system of pronominal address that has an additional highly salient colloquial pronoun of address which may obscure the difference in social meaning between the standard T and V pronouns. The discussion critically evaluates the implications of the study for the use of T/V pronouns in professional communication, musing on the complex relationship between noticing and evaluating. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perception and Processing of Address Terms)

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