Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

To: rbg81
I’ve noticed that some Chinese keep mixing up the words for “he” and “she”. This seems very odd and makes me wonder if anyone else observed it too.

Chinese has only one word for "third person" (he/she/it) as do many other languages. That may cause some confusion for speakers of those languages when speaking like English.

English has only one word for "you." Some languages have two, or more. ("You" [everyone in the room] and "You" [just the one I'm talking to]).

16 posted on 10/02/2018 5:29:59 AM PDT by Jess Kitting
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies ]


To: Jess Kitting
English has only one word for "you." Some languages have two, or more. ("You" [everyone in the room] and "You" [just the one I'm talking to]).

"You" - singular.

"Y'all" - plural

20 posted on 10/02/2018 5:39:34 AM PDT by TexasKamaAina
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies ]

To: Jess Kitting

While still young, I figured out “Y’all” has it’s distinct place, even though I’m not from the South. Seems silly to not have a plural “you”.


31 posted on 10/02/2018 9:38:15 AM PDT by lepton ("It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into"--Jonathan Swift)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies ]

To: Jess Kitting
English has only one word for "you." Some languages have two, or more. ("You" [everyone in the room] and "You" [just the one I'm talking to]).

Y'all and all y'all...

40 posted on 10/02/2018 6:20:25 PM PDT by null and void (The big problem is that the republicans don't keep their campaign promises and the democrats do!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies ]

To: Jess Kitting
Chinese has only one word for "third person" (he/she/it) as do many other languages. That may cause some confusion for speakers of those languages when speaking like English.

German speakers notice English speakers haver trouble with Der, Die, Das, A ship is Der, but a boat is Die? What's a wrench?

41 posted on 10/02/2018 6:25:26 PM PDT by null and void (The big problem is that the republicans don't keep their campaign promises and the democrats do!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies ]

To: Jess Kitting
("You" [everyone in the room] and "You" [just the one I'm talking to]).

Vietnamese has exclusive or inclusive "we" i.e. we including you and we excluding you. There is no word for "you," If generic is intended then it is "friend." Otherwise it is the designation that corresponds to relative status.Actually, there are no pronouns in Vietnamese and probably not in some other languages.

48 posted on 10/02/2018 7:05:29 PM PDT by ThanhPhero
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies ]

To: Jess Kitting; All

Don’t forget thee and thou.


61 posted on 10/04/2018 10:41:38 PM PDT by gleeaikin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson