„Du rotziger Blasebalckemacherischer Dieb! Solst du mich dutzen?“ – Funktionen des Personalpronomensduin Gryphius’ „Peter Squentz“

Abstract

AbstractThis paper examines the variations and functions of the deictic address pronoundu(you) in the satirical Baroque drama “Absurda Comica. Oder Herr Peter Sequentz” written by Andreas Gryphius. Two types of address forms dominate in the drama, which vary in a highly systematic way. The most common one is the honorific formihr‘you’, which appears in addresses to humans of equal social status among both craftsmen and nobles. The more intimate pronoundumainly occurs when the characters address themselves, their body parts or feelings and deities. Even lovers use the polite pronounihr; they switch todusolely when the beloved one is either absent or dead. In addition, there is a switch toduwhen the characters get into a quarrel, which illustrates the well-known connection of address pronouns to the expression of social deixis and politeness as well as the local, context-sensitive mechanisms of pronoun choice. Finally, generic uses ofduare restricted to proverbs in the drama.