Deference_indices Indexicality

1 deference indices

1.1 t/v deference entitlement
1.2 japanese honorifics
1.3 affinal taboo index

deference indices

deference indices encode deference 1 interlocutor (usually representing inequalities of status, rank, age, sex, etc.). examples of deference indices are:

t/v deference entitlement

the t/v deference entitlement system of european languages famously detailed linguists brown , gilman. mentioned, t/v deference entitlement system speaker/addressee speech event determined perceived disparities of power , solidarity between interlocutors. brown , gilman organized possible relationships between speaker , addressee 6 categories:

the power semantic indicates speaker in superior position uses t , speaker in inferior position uses v. solidarity semantic indicates speakers use t close relationships , v more formal relationships. these 2 principles conflict in categories 2 , 5, allowing either t or v in cases:

brown , gilman observed solidarity semantic becomes more important power semantic in various cultures, proportion of t v use in 2 ambiguous categories changes accordingly.

silverstein comments while exhibiting basic level of first-order indexicality, t/v system employs second-order indexicality vis-à-vis enregistered honorification . cites v form can function index of valued public register , standards of behavior entailed use of v forms on t forms in public contexts. therefore, people use t/v deference entailment in 1) first-order indexical sense distinguishes between speaker/addressee interpersonal values of power , solidarity , 2) second-order indexical sense indexes interlocutor s inherent honor or social merit in employing v forms on t forms in public contexts.

japanese honorifics

japanese provides excellent case study of honorifics. honorifics in japanese can divided 2 categories: addressee honorifics, index deference addressee of utterance; , referent honorifics, index deference referent of utterance. cynthia dunn claims every utterance in japanese requires choice between direct , distal forms of predicate. direct form indexes intimacy , spontaneous self-expression in contexts involving family , close friends. contrarily, distal form index social contexts of more formal, public nature such distant acquaintances, business settings, or other formal settings.

japanese contains set of humble forms (japanese kenjōgo 謙譲語) employed speaker index deference else. there suppletive forms can used in lieu of regular honorific endings (for example, subject honorific form of taberu (食べる, eat): meshiagaru 召し上がる). verbs involve human subjects must choose between distal or direct forms (towards addressee) distinguish between either no use of referent honorifics, use of subject honorific (for others), or use of humble form (for self). japanese model non-referential indexicality demonstrates subtle , complicated system encodes social context every utterance.

affinal taboo index

dyirbal, language of cairns rain forest in northern queensland, employs system known affinal taboo index. speakers of language maintain 2 sets of lexical items: 1) everyday or common interaction set of lexical items , 2) mother-in-law set employed when speaker in distinct context of interaction mother-in-law. in particular system of deference indices, speakers have developed entirely separate lexicon (there 4 everyday lexical entries every 1 mother-in-law lexical entry; 4:1) index deference in contexts inclusive of mother-in-law.