Second person pronouns used by Slovene and American Slovene speakers as linguistic markers of personal and social (in)equality

Abstract

This paper discusses the use of second person pronouns in Slovene as linguistic markers of personal and social (in)equality in face-to-face interaction. In addition to the fundamental social dimensions of power/status and solidarity that are usually associated with the choice of a particular pronoun in such interactions, I explore some other dimensions such as formality and casualness that may also contribute to the choice. The focus is on the comparison of the use of Slovene second person pronouns in their native and diaspora contexts. While the rules for their use in Slovenia are relatively well established and observed in a fairly consistent manner, especially by older speakers, their use in the North American context is quite different. The questionnaire responses by Slovenes and their descendants living in the United States and Canada show that these pronouns are often used almost as if at random and that, especially with younger speakers, the predominant form has become "ti". It is possible that this is due to the diminishing knowledge of Slovene and the speakers' uncertainty as to which form to use, but also to the very strong influence of English with its exclusive use of you. The growing tendency of younger speakers in Slovenia toward ti is also addressed as a possible indication of a language change under way.

Keywords

Slovene language;language usage;personal pronouns;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2002
Typology:	1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:	UM PEF - Faculty of Education
UDC:	811.163.6'271.1'367.626.1-054.7(=163.6)
COBISS:	19947618
ISSN:	0567-784X
Parent publication:	Acta neophilologica
Views:	1649
Downloads:	399
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
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Other data

Secondary language:	Slovenian
Secondary title:	Raba osebnih zaimkov v drugi osebi med Slovenci v Sloveniji ter med ameriškimi in kanadskimi Slovenci kot izraz osebne in družbene (ne)enakosti
Secondary abstract:	Avtorica razpravlja o rabi slovenskih osebnih zaimkov v 2. osebi, ki v neposrednih stikih med govorci izražajo različne stopnje osebne in družbene (ne)enakosti. Poleg temeljnih družbenih razsežnosti moči/statusa in solidarnosti, ki ju običajno povezujemo z izbiro zaimka v medsebojni interakciji, se dotakne še različne stopnje formalnosti in nekaterih drugih dimenzij, ki prav tako delno določajo izbiro ustreznega zaimka. - Težišče je na primerjavi rabe omenjenih zaimkov v Sloveniji in v diaspori. V Sloveniji sopravila za izbiro zaimkov v 2. osebi razmeroma trdno uveljavljena in njihova raba, predvsem med starejšimi govorci, dokaj dosledna. V severnoameriškem okolju je položaj precej drugačen, saj analiza anketnih odgovorov Slovencev in njihovih potomcev v ZDA in Kanadi kaže, da govorci te zaimke rabijo velikokrat skorajda naključno, medtem, medtem ko je predvsem pri mlajših govorcih opazna izrazita težnja po izključni rabi edninske oblike "ti". Negotovost govorcev glede izbire primernega zaimka je lahko posledica upadajočega znanja slovenskega jezika, možno pa je tudi, da se to vsaj delno dogaja zaradi izredno močnega vpliva angleščine, ki uporablja eno samo obliko (you). V tem smislu je zanimiva naraščajoča raba zaimka "ti" med mlajšimi govorci v Sloveniji, v čemer je možno videti znamenja potencialnih jezikovnih sprememb glede rabe zaimkov pri naslavljanju v slovenščini.
Secondary keywords:	slovenščina;jezikovna raba;zaimek;sociolingvistika;ne zaključna dela;Sociolingvistika;Slovenščina;Zaimki;
URN:	URN:NBN:SI
Type (COBISS):	Article
Pages:	str. 115-126
Volume:	ǂLetn. ǂ35
Issue:	ǂšt. ǂ1/2
Chronology:	2002
ID:	9609456