4.1.09

'SEN' OR 'SİZ'


What do you call your parents? Mother? Father? Mum? Dad? Or do you call them by their first names? These days, many young children call their parents, and their parents friends, by their first names. However, in many countries this kind of familiarity very impolite, and as a result many of the the older people become uncomfortable.
In some languages, such as French and Turkish, there are two forms for the word 'you'. In Turkish, 'sen' is the informal form and 'siz' the formal. In French, the familiar word is 'tu' and more formal one is 'vous'. In English, there is only one form, 'you', although a few hundred years ago there was also the formal expression 'thou'.
In Turkey and France, the two forms of word are part of every day life. In both countries is is often unacceptable for an older person to be called by the word 'sen' or 'tu' when he is talking to younger people usually use the informal form when they are talking yo each other. In France, the chance from 'vous' to 'tu' shows a change in the relationship - from a formal one to an informal one. English speaking people-Australians, Americans and the British- never have this diffuculty because they dont have another choice.

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