| Language: | Tagalog |
| Feature: | Politeness Distinctions in Pronouns by Johannes Helmbrecht |
| Value: | Multiple politeness distinctions |
|
ikaw |
2nd sg. |
- the 2nd person sg pro is used, if the hearer is a relative of the younger generation, a friend, a social inferior person, among children and adolescents age-mates, and to address God |
|
kayo |
2nd sg. hon. |
- the 2nd pers pl pronoun is politely used if there is a social distance between the interlocutors, i.e. if a child addresses an adult, an employee an employer, between adults which are socially equal, but not intimate, to relatives which belong to the older generation (regardless actual age) |
|
sila |
2nd sg. hhon. |
- the 3rd person pl pronoun is occasionally used to express great respect and to mark great social distance; it is used to address monarchs or high politicians |