| Language: | Sinhala |
| Feature: | Politeness Distinctions in Pronouns by Johannes Helmbrecht |
| Value: | Multiple politeness distinctions |
|
mahatmayā |
2nd sg. hhon. |
- equal who don't know each other very weel, and inferiors addressing superiors (e.g. employers) use this form which is translated 'Mister' |
|
ohē |
2nd sg. |
- address form among equals, particularly between men, but also between spouses |
|
oyā |
2nd sg. |
- etymologically derived from a demonstrative pronoun; modern form; - used among equals (friends, kinsmen) for address |
|
tamusē |
2nd sg. |
- neutral form of address among equals, occasionally used as intimate form of address |
|
tō |
2nd sg. infer. |
- used as unpolite address to inferiors |
|
topi |
2nd pl. Infer. |
|
|
um̆ba |
2nd sg. infer. |
- used as address form among equals in rural areas, but also by elders to address younger people, parents to children, members of a high cast to lower cast people |