Datapoint Tamil / Politeness Distinctions in Pronouns

Language:Tamil
Feature:Politeness Distinctions in Pronouns by Johannes Helmbrecht
Value:Multiple politeness distinctions

Notes

nii

2nd sg. fam.

- familiar form of address, derives historically fromProto-Tamil niin

niinkaL

2nd pl. fam.

- according to ), niinkaL

derives historically from the repluralization of the Proto-Tamil2nd pl form niim + kaL 'pl';

- this form is used as familiar form of plural address

niinkaL

2nd sg. hhon.

- more polite form of address than niir;

niir

2nd sg. hon.

- polite form of address, derives historically from the old sgniin + yir 'pl'

References