A taboo on personal names and on the pronoun ty as a component of Russian speech etiquette

Abstract

The article shows that the language taboo on pronouncing personal names, which is usually described as a phenomenon typical of archaic cultures, is also characteristic of the modern Russian language, where names of older relatives usually are replaced by words dad, mother, grandfather, grandmother, uncle and aunt. In the XVIII and XIX centuries in Russia there was a taboo on the use of names, patronymics and surnames of persons senior in civil or military rank. At present, it is preserved in the military sphere of communication, where it is forbidden to address by name or surname to senior in rank. The taboo phenomenon can also be an explanation of etiquette designation the respected interlocutor by Russian pronoun vy (ʻyouʼ pl.) instead of ty (ʻyouʼ sg.).